


Supernatural and the Scientist

by Caradee



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-29
Updated: 2012-10-04
Packaged: 2017-10-26 16:42:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 82,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/285550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caradee/pseuds/Caradee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles Xavier is a upcoming geneticist and wildlife biologist who’s next big thesis reveals a little to much about the hidden werewolf community. Now Erik Lehnsehrr is suppose to figure out who it is feeding Xavier the information and put an end to it.</p><p>However, things are not what they appear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Although dating a Wildlife Biologist, I know nothing about the profession. I am also not a Wolf / Werewolf Expert. Most of the things in this fic I am making up! Sorry.

 

 **  
** Charles Xavier is everything and nothing like Erik expected. 

Sitting in the farthest row of the lecture, that was surprisingly full of students and professionals alike, he watched the small man at the podium talk for nearly an hour about the evidence of lycanthropy. 

Everything the man said was direct. The fact that it would be a genetic disorder, and the historic evidence pointing to it already being present in the world. Much of the lecture revolved around the genetic possibility and then later on the biological effects such a “mutation” (as Xavier put it) would have on the human body. 

The latter half of the lecture went a bit over Erik’s head. He wasn’t a scholar; he didn’t have more than a high school education in biology, but from what his superiors had told him it was all a little too close to home. Which meant only one thing, either a fellow werewolf was feeding the secrets of their species to this outsider or the great professor Xavier had a pet he was experimenting on

Neither was a good option, and it was Erik’s job to get to the bottom of it.    


The vast number of people in the audience was a concern. This was one of the main reasons why Erik had immediately booked a flight from Miami to New York to catch the lecture. People were    
listening   
to Xavier.  Some people in the audience even stood up to applaud the man when he was done. Usually, any person who came to the public announcing “werewolves are among us” would be laughed off the stage, especially in an academic setting. 

But from what Erik gathered Charles Xavier was different. He was a well respected scholar, with a PhD in Genetics and Wildlife Biology and had opened his own wild life center on his family estate when he was only twenty-five. Xavier was the leading scholar in wolf preservation in the state of New York and on the East Coast. So, he was an activist, scholar, and genius. He would not be laughed off a stage easily, and when he spoke his words tended to get people to think. Which was why Xavier was well received by so many people. A great deal of the werewolf preservation society had admired him and what he did for the animals at the center. Then he made the announcement of his latest thesis, and the book that would shortly follow it. 

Erik stayed in his seat while the auditorium filtered out. He watched as a line began to grow from people stopping to shake the professor’s hand and share a few words with him. Of course the end of the lecture had been pitched with, “my book will be published and out within the month if you would like more information.”  

After the initial crowd had dispersed, Erik moved. He stepped down the stairs with quiet grace and settled into the line. There were two young girls in front of him, obvious students, giggling and clutching an assortment of books in their arms as they waited for their turn. When they  did shake hands with Charles Xaiver, just a few inches away from Erik, he overheard every high pitched comment they made. 

“We loved the lecture professor.” The black haired girl out of the pair said, almost sighing the words in one breath. 

“Did you? Hope it wasn’t so boring?” came an amused reply, the same smooth English accent Erik had listened to for nearly an hour. 

“Oh it wasn’t boring at all. We’re fascinated with the idea that werewolves exist. Tell us, do you know any?” the second girl, a blond peeped up. The hope in her voice could not have been hidden even if she tried. 

The question got another laugh, nothing mocking as Xaiver answered, “I can’t reveal that girls.” followed immediately by sighs of disappointment. “But I can say that the science speaks for its self.” Erik perked up at the statement, eyes narrowed on the meeting in front of him. 

“Such a tease Professor.” the black haired girl noted. 

“I’m glad your enjoyed your time. I’ll see you girls in class on Friday, I assume.” 

There was a synced chorus of, “Yes” and then the two small bodies bumped out of line. Their heads held low to hide the smiles of accomplishment that adorned their young faces. 

Erik tried not to have his eyes follow the two girls as they departed. Instead, he stepped forward, stuck out his hand in greeting, and took in the man in front of him. His target, he reminded himself. “Dr. Charles Xaiver, it’s a pleasure.” 

Finally, he got a good look at the man in front of him. Up close, the professor was much smaller. He stood below Erik by at least a head, but his hair looked longer, flowing in front of his wide baby blue eyes in an almost messy way. When the professor’s hand came up to swipe the hair out of his face, Erik could see how it suddenly became so messy. Then the hand came down and clapped his in a warm friendly way. A charming smile showed perfectly white teeth. “The pleasure is all mine.” 

“Erik Lehnsehrr,” he introduced smoothly.

Charles’ smile stayed in place as he asked, “What can I do for you, Mr. Lehnsehrr?” 

The lie came out easier than Erik could imagine, but then again it was well versed. “I work for the National Wildlife Journal, and we’d like to do an article on your work for an up coming issue. Would you mind a meeting after this?” he gestured to the people remaining in the room. 

Steady blue eyes took him in, considering, and a smile tugged at the ends of Xavier’s mouth which he hid well under the guise of nervously licking his lips. For a moment, Erik wasn’t sure what the man would say until a small brunette woman came up from behind the professor and welcomed Erik with a brief once-over. 

“Hello there,” she said tightly, trying not to seem tense, and maybe to a human she would pass, but Erik could smell the anxiety coming off her in waves. He noticed her body brush close against Charles, not intimately, but protectively. He raised a brow at the movement and the emotion coming from the woman. “Moira MacTaggert,” she said with a nod to Erik and he nodded. 

He knew of her, of course. One couldn’t do research on the Westchester Reservation and Charles Xavier with MacTaggert’s name appearing. She was his partner and fellow Wildlife Activist. Moira MacTaggert had done work in the Northern Rockies with the wolf packs up there, had even worked alongside some fellow Werewolves without knowing it, before signing on to work at Westchester by request of Charles Xavier. The two apparently knew each other well. 

“Moira,” Charles greeted her with an easy smile, “This is Erik Lehnsehrr with the Wildlife Journal, apparently they’d like a word.” 

Moira nodded, her body relaxing the slightest bit, but still too stiff. “I see, Well, Mr. Lehnsehrr I can discuss a good time with you while the Professor finishes up with these people.” 

“Of course,” Erik’s smile grew tight, but he followed Moira to the corner of the lecture hall, away from the rest of the bystanders. He could hear Charles’ light and well recited greeting to the person who had stood behind him, before Moira turned her attention back to him. 

Her body sagged as she sighed and pulled out her phone. After jabbing her fingers at the screen for a moment, she turned an apologetic look his way, “I’m sorry about that. If I came off a little...” She let her voice trail off and Erik nodded in understanding before she graced him with a small ,but pretty smile and turned back to her phone. 

“It’s just been a little crazy since Charles decided to publish this whole thing. We’ve gotten some real weirdo’s coming up to him, claiming to know werewolves or being werewolves...” 

Erik tilted his head, ears perked, “Really?” 

“Yeah,” Moira scoffed the slightest bit, “Real weirdos. Just can’t be too careful. Can I see your business card or... something so I know... you know.” 

“Of course,” he pulled out his wallet and the fake business card that his pack master had acquired for him, it was with his real driver’s license. 

Moira glanced at them and nodded, “Great. Sorry about all that, I’ve been telling him we need a bodyguard or something, but does Charles listen? Nooo.” 

“How long have these weirdos been trying to contact Dr. Xavier?” Erik tried to keep his voice light, inquiring, but if other weres were already trying to get to the professor that would put a wrench in his mission. He needed to find out who the mole was, then deal with that individual and the nutty professor personally. The Hellfire Pack would have it no other way. 

Moira gasped and closed her eyes as she cursed, “Shit. I’m so stupid, you can’t use that for your article Mr. Lehnsehrr, understand? We have lawyers and...” 

“Don’t worry Ms. MacTaggert I was only asking. Our journal is strictly scientific, there’s no gossip in any of the pages.” She seemed to relax at that, but not enough to answer the earlier question. 

Instead she said, “Charles is free tonight and tomorrow evening. I’ll let him answer all and any questions you have to ask him. It is his career.” 

“Are you his publicist as well as colleague Ms. MacTaggert?” Erik asked his eyes trailing back to the brief original focus of their discussion. 

The woman next to him laughed, “I guess you could say that Mr. Lehnsehrr,  _someone_ has to keep that man in line.” 

  
\---    

Being the last person in line, Professor McMurphy apparently thought he had all the time in the world to discuss the lecture. The man was from the psychology department and had done some research on the neurological symptoms of Lycanthropy. Charles had briefly discussed his thesis and topic with the man before, and had even used McMurphy has a resource for his book. And while he enjoyed a good hearty debate as much as the next man he wanted to see how Moira was fairing with the handsome journalist that he had briefly spoke to. 

Charles Xaiver could appreciate when a person was naturally handsome and Erik Lehnsehr was natural (or unnaturally) handsome. Strong prominent jaw, enticing blue-grey eyes, and a accent that was a mix Charles couldn’t put his finger on. 

"I still stand by my earlier statement Xavier that much of the ‘werewolves’ you talk about are merely deranged and delusional people.” McMurphy concluded after a long winded explanation that Charles tuned back into just in time.

“Genetics and Biology don’t lie Dr. McMurphy. These people are not dreaming up these differences in blood work or their DNA.” he replied breezily, deciding that it was time to end the conversation. “And I would love to continue this conversation with you at a latter time. But right now, I have a appointment I have to attend.” he caught the other man’s hand in his own in a farewell shake before McMurphy could sputter another word. 

"Right, well you know where to find me Charles.” 

“That I do,” he waved the older man off with a smile, before finally turning to where Moira had walked off and found his friend standing in the corner... alone. She smiled at him as he approached and he raised an elegant brow in question as he asked, “He a deranged werewolf wanabe like the others then? You had to chase him off?”  

“No he really was a journalist” Moira answered with a sly smile, “and you have a interview with him tomorrow evening. I told him you’d meet him at the cafe downtown, your favorite, and he said his company will pay.” 

“Oh well in that case why didn’t you point him to my favorite restaurant?” Charles suggested with a smile and laugh as Moira playfully smacked his cardigan covered chest. He looked around the now empty hall and bounced on the heels of his feet in excitement, smile becoming bigger. “That was a success.”   
 “Charles, after last week, any public appearance without someone crazy blowing into it is a success.” Moira sighed as she pocketed her phone and wrapped her arm in the empty space between his elbow and side. They started towards the exit, Charles grabbing his briefcase as they left. 

“Really Moira, I think you are over reacting about that. The man was clearly delusional.” he responded keeping blue eyes forward as they walked.   
“Delusional, yes. Enough so that the man wrote you five letters of nonsensical prattling and then appears on the reserve at night   
_ naked _ !”

“But harmless,” Charles interjected before Moira continued.  
“And here I am, with a man who believed him for two hours before being informed that the man was in fact staying in a mental institute, and was disappointed .” 

“Moira...” he started again, because they had had this conversation before and knew where it was going. His warning was heard as Moira sighed and tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder with the slightest of huffs. 

“I’m just saying Charles, you’re too trusting, and when you talk about things like werewolves there are some real...” she struggled for a moment to find the right word, “strange people involved when it comes to that type of thing. I know, I know its all science for you but I worry.” 

“And I appreciate it,” he turned his head and kissed her on the cheek as they came to the car and separated, “but I know what I am getting myself into love. Have a little faith in me.” 

She gave him a look Charles was left to interrupt another time as he pulled himself into the driver’s seat and turned on the ignition, “Now we really should get home. I don’t quite trust Sean there alone yet, and I’m sure Raven misses me.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kudos and views. I've found some people to edit so the first chapter and this one should be a little more cleaned up.Also this chapter names some wolf breeds. If you would like to know what they look like and more of a clue about them I used [this site](http://www.cosmosmith.com/wolfpage.html)as a resource.
> 
> And all information about [Lycanthropy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycanthropy)was from wikipedia as sad as that may sound. Feel free to look it up, I mostly focused on Clinical Lycantropy.
> 
> Again, not an expert in any of these fields but I'm trying my best.

Erik was always earlier when he was doing a job. Years of practice and action had taught him it was better to be prepared than not, and being early gave him that extra edge if something were to go wrong. Not that there was much chance of something going wrong with a simple lunch on a college campus, but another thing the years had taught him was that he could never be sure of anything.

Oxford Cafe reeked of the kind of man that Charles Xavier was. It smelled of tea powder and old books. The place was decorated after its name sake, all polished wood with sleek English paintings adorning the walls, and bookshelves covering nearly every inch of the small building. Thick tome-like novels filled the shelves, though Erik knew none of the cafe’s attendants actually read them. They were display only, adding to the ambience of the place.

It was just after one, the lunch rush of students grabbing coffee and snack before class had died down, and only a few tables were taken up by young people, their textbooks and papers sprawled out before them. To Erik’s sensitive nose, the smell of coffee beans and herbal tea was almost too much. He enjoyed coffee, but if given the choice of a stuffy coffee shop or sitting outside in the fresh air he would take the fresh air. So he grabbed one of the small tables seated outside the cafe and ordered an Irish coffee while he waited. He was a solid ten minutes early, enough time to go over his plan of action in his head before the familiar scent of wood and ink filled his nostrils. Erik had just enough time to turn his head and smile at Charles Xavier before the professor tumbled into the open chair, his messenger bag falling in a heap on the ground beside him.

The day wasn’t particularly cold, yet Charles was wearing a small wind breaker a shade of dark blue that contrasted nicely with his eyes. Underneath the jacket Erik could make out the familiar shape of a cardigan sweater, this one forest green. A change from the gray of the day before. Charles sighed then smiled brightly at Erik in greeting. “Sorry If I kept you long, Mr. Lehnsehrr.”

“Erik, please,” the dark haired man offered, bringing his coffee to his lips and looking at the swirl of his cream instead of the flushed skin of Charles’ cheeks. The man looked as if he had run all the way to the cafe from the main campus. Slightly out of breath, Erik could hear the flutter of Charles’ rapidly beating heart from across the table, and smell the hint of sweat that musked the air...

“And I haven’t been waiting long. I have a habit of arriving at meetings too early I’m afraid.” He gave his own toothy smile and the professor laughed while still trying to catch his breath.

“Better then my habit of arriving late,” Charles offered, then looked up as the pretty waitress came out with her writing pad ready for his order. “An Earl Grey please. Thank you, love.”

How very British, Erik noted, while Charles settled into his chair. His records had told him that Charles did in fact have dual citizenship in both America and the UK, his mother hailing from London. Xavier had also gotten his PHD in genetics from Oxford before coming to The University in New York to receive another in Wildlife Biology.

He smiled at the man seated across from him. “Sorry I couldn’t exchange a few more words with you yesterday, Professor. I had another appointment to make I’m afraid.”

“Oh please don’t call me Professor, Erik,” Charles sighed with a roll of his eyes. The easy way he spoke Erik’s name as if they were old friends caught the other man slightly off guard before the Englishman continued, “It’s Charles. And I believe I owe you an apology as well. Moira was a bit...”

“Protective?” Erik supplied and watched Charles nod.

“Yes, I suppose that’s a good word for it. Protective. She told you the mess that’s been going on recently?”

“She mentioned... weirdoes trying to get in contact with you.”

“Her words not mine,” Charles said with a tilt of his head, “and I prefer to call them “werewolf enthusiasts”, because that’s what they are. Granted some do fall into the weird category.”

“That would be putting it lightly,” Erik said, unable to hide his broadening smile. He knew about the werewolf-loving cult following of humans. Charles was sugar coating how obsessive the young people of the modern day were, especially when it same to things they deemed supernatural such as werewolves and (Erik blanched at the thought) _vampires_. “But that brings up one of my first questions, Charles: why werewolves? What sparked your interest in them?”

The waitress came back and placed the steaming cup of tea in front of Charles as the brunet laughed softly and leaned back into his chair. “Excellent question. I guess I’ve always been fascinated with the werewolf legend, though I honestly can’t say if it was that which gave birth to my love for the wolf or if it was the other way around.” He sipped gingerly at his coffee as he supplied, “Maybe it was my love for the animal that bred my interest in the monster.”

“Mmm, so you believe the werewolf to be a monster?” Erik narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him, watching for any change in Charles’ composure. The other man seemed completely at ease, unfazed by the strange question.

“I believe werewolves, should they exist, are just like us, Erik. People, with a hint more animal in them... maybe. But still people.”

“So... and this is on the record, Charles,” Erik stated, setting his own coffee down to stare at the man across from him, “you believe in werewolves?”

“Science doesn’t lie my friend,” Charles stated, his smile turning into something sly and secretive, “and I believe what the test results show me.”

The word _test_ struck a chord deep inside Erik, and he tried not to let it show. Slowly lifting his Irish coffee to his lips as he spoke, “If you don’t mind me asking, Charles, do you advocate for animal testing then?”

The question seemed to throw Charles completely off guard. The man sputtered into his tea, his blue eyes becoming impossibly wide, and Erik’s heart swelled with a devilish glee at seeing the sudden burst of emotion. It was brief though, as Charles, ever the professional from what Erik could see, composed himself. His features suddenly taking a darker look, the charming boyish smile no longer decorated his features as he said, “Listen to me very carefully, Erik, Mr. Lehnsehrr. I never encourage the wrongful treatment of any animal for the better knowledge of science. All blood work for my research is done in the most humane way possible, all efforts I put forward to further my knowledge about humans and animals alike are done without putting either before the other. It is something I am proud to say I do, and I will not have any one interpreting it otherwise.”

The sudden low tone in Charles’ voice was almost unnerving. Almost. Erik found a small smile tugging at his lips as the professor spoke to him. It shed a few beams of light on the man. He nodded to Charles’ statement, acknowledging it with a small apology, “I didn’t mean to offend.”

And watched the smaller man shrug. Despite the change in tone of their conversation Charles managed to shed any emotion the accusation brought up. His blue eyes were trained on Erik’s, searching for a reaction of their own. “It’s quite alright,” he explained. “You’d be surprised by how often I get similar questions from my colleagues in both fields. There is a fine line between science and morals. Many find it easy to pick a side and toss stones at those on the opposite spectrum. Sometimes they hit the people on the border.”

Erik was impressed with the sudden spine and bravado that had been shown. It also revealed that what the records had shown about Charles Xavier to be true. The man was a scientist, yes, but also a idealistic humanitarian. And it seemed his sense of what was right came first and foremost to the professor. Which narrowed out the idea that he was keeping werewolves to experiment on. Meaning one thing...

A mole.

“And are you on the border, Charles?” Erik asked, coming back to the conversation, and watching the sly smile return to the cherub face. The man was loving this, he realized quickly. The scholar in Charles Xavier strove for stimulating conversation and debate. Erik was only too happy to oblige when it came to picking the man’s brain.

“Why don’t you tell me, Erik? But first I’d like to know, do you think of the werewolf as a monster or a man?”

\---

Charles was fascinated as Erik delved into his own theories on werewolves. It seems a bit ridiculous for two well educated men, one a scholar and another a academic writer, to debate such a topic and Charles couldn’t help but smile as Erik pointed out such a sight. “I mean, it’s not as though I believe in such things.”

“Of course not,” Charles said as he picked at the scone he had bought when his stomach made the demand. “Though, may I do a bit of shameless promotion and say you should read the book when it comes out, Erik. Maybe you’ll like it.”

Erik’s smile was tight as he said, “My plate is a bit too full to be reading about mythical creatures, Charles.”

“But you know the author, I can sign it for you.” Charles couldn’t stop himself from laughing and noticed it had brought Erik’s natural smile back. “I’m joking of course. I wouldn’t call them mythical creatures when you’re writing your article. Aren’t you suppose to be unbiased when talking about my new scientific discovery?”

Erik’s nodding head suddenly stopped and he thinned his lips as if realizing something before, “Dammit, what time is it?”

A quick glance to his watch told Charles, “Two thirty, what’s the problem?”

“The problem is I’ve been sitting here for an hour and a half having philosophical debates about _mythical creatures,_ ” he punctuated the words carefully and with a smile, “with you, Professor, and not getting the information for my article.” Though the words seemed accusing Erik’s tone was light and teasing. His eyes sparkled and elegant dark eye brows were raised as they looked at Charles expectantly.

The smaller man burst into laughter as it finally dawned on him that he had in fact lost an hour and a half of his evening. Cutting into his usual office hours, he pitied the students who may have come by during the time, but conversation with Erik had been so enriching. Erik’s take on the werewolf had been more scientific then Charles had originally thought to come from the man. They questioned the ethics of a being with split human values and animals values. While Charles favored that a werewolf would be able to exhibit a level of balance between these two forces (a human with heightened animal instincts and a wolf with human moralities), Erik was very black and white on the subject. “Even if they are a human they would nothing more then an animal in wolf form.”

Erik had seemed so sure in his conviction but Charles’ own thoughts would not be wavered. They ended in agreeing to disagree before embarking on another debate. Their discussion had been purely that, a discussion. Nothing usable really for an academic article; in fact Charles had forgotten that the purpose of meeting had been for a interview rather then pleasantries.

He did have a late three thirty class to teach though, and Erik was already gathering his things. Worrying his bottom lip, Charles couldn’t help but feel guilty about wasting the journalist’s time. “I’m really sorry, Erik,” he admitted, “Time just slipped by I guess.”

“Don’t worry about it Charles,” Erik said, sounding surprisingly pleasant as he gathered his things. “You’ll have to make it up to me, though,” and with those words blue grey eyes looked up and locked Charles in a hard stare, “maybe with a visit to the Westchester Reserve.”

Charles considered it for only a second; the pathetic flutter in his chest at the thought of seeing Erik again was not the reason. They had had publicists to the reserve before: when it had first opened, when a new animal came in, or even for magazine specials. Erik would be no different. “I’m okay with that,” he agreed. “I’m not teaching classes tomorrow and I’ll be spending the entire day there. What time would work best for you?”

“Late afternoon again?” Erik suggested and Charles nodded.

“It’s a date then, Mr. Lehnsehrr.”

He caught the smile and roll of the eyes as Erik threw on his fashionable fedora hat and strolled away. His money lay on the table top, enough to pay for two coffees and a scone.

 **\---**

The Westchester estate was officially converted into a reservation nearly five years ago, though to Charles it felt like much longer. When his step father had finally passed away and the estate fell into his lap Charles will admit to not immediately knowing what to do. He had his own home just outside of New York, a ten minute drive from work that was much more manageable than the thirty minute drive to his childhood home. And in Kurt Marco’s old age the man had been unwilling to keep up the house and all its necessities. He had fired the help, allowing the garden to grow into a jungle and various rooms to fall into an abandoned and dusty state.

Charles had inherited all fifty acres of land and a building with nearly twenty bedrooms, two libraries, three lounge areas, and a mini bar. He had been complaining about the estate and what to do with it to Moira while they sat in a airport heading towards Yellowstone Park when his colleague suggested what should have been painfully obvious from the beginning.

“Charles, you’re always going places for your work. Why not bring the wolves to you?”

After that his next project had taken a little over a year. The estate needed proper trimming, kennels had to be set up, various rooms were converted into veterinary offices, a staff was hired, and of course wolves had to come in. The latter didn’t take long to get -- in the life of Charles Xavier there were always wolves in need of saving -- and not long after his establishment was up and running a beautiful Vancouver Island puppy was found being raised in a socialites home in New Jersey. The puppy that he had affectionately named Einstein had been raised as naturally as he could manage with help from Moira, who had raised and released wolf puppies back into the wild more times then she could count. When Einstein was two there had been a tearful good bye, but Charles had four other wolf cases on the estate to handle and as the years went on the number just went up. Now they were at their highest number of ten: two wolves retired from a local zoo that Charles couldn’t bear to see put down, one who had been shot by a hunter in up state New York, an East Timber wolf who had had three puppies on their watch, and numerous others.

And then there was Raven.

Though Moira and Sean wouldn’t refer to Raven as one of the wolves. To them she was just Charles’ beautiful young sister, who lounged around the house at night and worked at a nearby cafe during the day. They never wondered why Raven was the complete opposite of Charles: blond hair, green eyes, tall, leggy, and outgoing. She looked like a animal, in all the best ways.

Raven was Charles’ secret treasure, his pride and whom he owed everything to. His love of animals, what he referred to as a family, and his happiness.

When he had found her he hadn’t known what to think of the dazzling white puppy digging threw the trash can in their kitchen, picking at the left over lamb the cook had made that night. Ten year old Charles had merely stared at the tear in the mosquito net of their door frame and clutched his bat close to his body. When he called out to the pup, it had looked up, inquisitive golden eyes holding curious intelligence that left Charles quiet, and then the puppy had changed.

Transforming from a pure white wolf pup into a small blond haired girl. Naked, cold, and hungry.

Since that day Raven had been Charles’ little sister, and his fascination with wolves became an obsession.

\---

“Your obsessed.”

Charles glanced up from the edits on his thesis to see Raven leaning against the doorway. The grand oak doors to the study were opened invitingly for anyone who wished to enter, though Moira and Sean had left hours ago, leaving only two people on the Xavier Estate. “I’m just looking over things again.” Charles stated as if it was a simple observation, though he tried to hide the yawn that was threatening to bubble out. “Did you just return from work?”

Raven was still dressed in her waitress outfit. She hated it, black pants that hid her well-shaped legs and a plain white collared shirt. She nodded, pulling her blond hair out of its high pony tail and running her fingers through it. “When did Moira leave? I hope you weren’t here alone too long.”

Charles sighed. Since the naked stranger incident Moira hadn’t been the only one to become overly protective of him. Raven’s animal instincts had kicked in full throttle. She didn’t like leaving him home alone for too long. Charles had even caught her roaming the grounds in her wolf form in the early mornings when it was just the two them, which was rare. Over the years Raven had admitted that while her wolf form made her feel more free, her human form was much safer. Especially with the mansion bustling with people again. There was no need to get caught simply because she wanted a little freedom. Charles couldn’t have agreed more. Though he sometimes missed seeing the white wolf roaming around.

His sister collapsed onto the empty spot next to him on the sofa, her body instinctively curling into his own like she did when she was a small child. She sniffed the air once, then twice before saying, “You smell funny...”

“Thank you, dear, you smell lovely as well.” Charles said, blue eyes falling back onto the papers in his hand, his pen poised to mark again.

“No, not bad.” Raven said, sounding tired and dreamy. Charles didn’t have to look to know her eyes were closed “It’s a good kind of funny.”

“Good kind of funny,” Charles snorted at the phrase, and felt the body next to him snuggle closer.

“Hmmm, what did you do today?”

And Charles fell into the low voice as he explained the additions he made to the book, the student who asked him if was possible to keep a wolf as a pet in class, and then a long detailed recollection of his lunch with the handsome journalist from the National Wildlife Journal. But by the time he started mentioning Erik Lehnsherr his sister was fast asleep. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kudos and views.
> 
> Again, lots of wolf references in this chapter. If you would like to know what they look like or have more of a clue about them I used this [site](http://www.cosmosmith.com/wolfpage.html) as a resource. And all information about [Lycanthropy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycanthropy) was from wikipedia as sad as that may sound. Feel free to look it up, I mostly focused on Clinical Lycantropy. Again, not an expert in any of these fields but I'm trying my best.

He still had time. He had only been in New York for three days, and if all went according to plan, by the end the day he would have the information needed, taken care of the problem at hand, and have a ticket back to Miami sitting in his back pocket.   
  
His packmaster wasn’t happy. The alpha of the Hellfire pack liked results as quickly as possible, and three days was nearly three days too long. Erik understood that the man was tense, with the threat of Charles’ book looming over the were community. They were all tense and upset about it, but what it came down to was that Shaw wanted to be the man who shut down the project. He wanted to be the hero who handled the problem before news could even hit the west coast.   
  
That was why he picked Erik. He was the best hunter in the pack, and the one entrusted with such a important mission. Under normal circumstances Erik would have handled it by now, would have met with Charles on day one and if that didn’t get him anywhere well... he knew ways of getting the information he wanted.   
  
But things were slightly different. There was the unknown threat of other werewolves apparently trying to met with the professor. He had to watch out for that. An accidental attack on another were could spark aggression between packs. But that was the smallest of the problems, the biggest being that Erik allowed himself a luxury. With Charles, it seemed the only way to go. He needed to build a relationship with the professor to get any information, and while building that connection he had become comfortable. Lured into distracting conversation by Charles’ questioning tone, his suggestions and theories, and alluring blue eyes.   
  
It was his own fault that their meeting had become more of a date than the subtle interrogation Erik had planned. A growl escaped his throat at the thought, remembering the quiet thorn-like threats buried under the roses of his alpha’s words. _“Don’t fail me Erik.”_    
  
He steered his car to follow the curve of the road, shifting from sleek black cement to smooth dirt. There were acres of woods on either side of him, growing thicker and thicker as the road carried on. The Westchester Reservation was at least five miles away from the main road. A good distance for privacy and to build the illusion that the animals were in their natural habitat. And though in the woods, Erik could make out the remains of what was once a rich high-end driveway.   
  
The spots where grass was still growing after having thick stone statues sit in one place for years. A few patches of indented ground where newly-planted trees could be potted. And the artificially-created hills, to give the land more variety. It was almost as if they were near the mountains, when in reality they were a good two hours drive from the nearest mountain scape. The feat was impressive none the less. Erik couldn’t help but be impressed that Charles would undergo so much change (expensive change) for the sake of the animals on his land.   
  
Eventually the woods cleared up just the slightest bit as his car came from the shadow of the tree tops and into a large area with an even larger stone mansion suddenly in front of him. Erik couldn’t help but stare at the structure. He had seen pictures of it on his laptop, but none of them did the mansion justice. He nearly missed the three bright faces standing at the base of the stone steps. Two he recognized immediately. Charles couldn’t be missed, dressed smartly in a light brown sweater with a maroon collared shirt peeking out underneath. His hands were in his pockets and his hair was brushed out of his eyes for the first time since Erik had met him. Moira stood by his side, wearing jeans and a green long-sleeved sweatshirt, her hair pulled into a low ponytail. The boy standing slightly behind her was new, wild red hair unkempt and eyes squinting against the sun as he took in Erik’s approaching car. The boy couldn’t have been older then twenty, possibly a student.   
  
Charles was already walking up to his car before Erik eased it into a stop and stepped out. “You found it!” the Englishman exclaimed as if he was hosting a strange variety show and Erik had won some prize. The wolf in him was slightly taken aback by how bright the smaller man’s smile was.   
  
“It wasn’t that hard, Charles, the instructions you gave me were rather straight forward,” he greeted back, his tone lacking the excitement Charles’ had.   
  
Charles’ smile stayed in place as Moira stepped forward and extended her hand in greeting. “Mr. Lehnsherr, it’s good to see you again,” she said, eyes sparking with interest as she took him in.   
  
Erik shook her hand. “Same to you, Dr. MacTaggert. I must say this article and its _subject_ are causing me a bit more trouble then I thought.”   
  
The smile flashed away as Charles called out an indignant “hey” and Moira covered her mouth with her hand but flashed Erik a look that told him she knew _exactly_ where he was coming from. Before he could get in another word, though, Charles’ small body settled beside him and the professor inclined his head towards the small path that curved around the mansion. “Shall I give you the tour then? Make up for the trouble?”   
  
Erik nodded and waved his own hand, “Lead the way professor.”   
  
Moira moved forward to accompany them on the tour before her brown eyes narrowed as if just remembering something and she turned to the nameless red-haired boy who was kicking at a pebble on the steps. “Sean, you still need to go get the new kennel ready.”   
  
“Aw come on Moira, can’t it wait till later? I still have all those reports I have to filter through.”   
  
“You wouldn't have those reports if you’d done them two days ago when you were supposed to,” Moira scolded softly, “and yes, the new addition will be coming here by next Thursday. If you don’t do it now...”   
  
“Alright, alright.” Sean sighed and stuck out his bottom lip before sulking off in the opposite direction.   
  
“Interns...” Moira said under her breath with an affectionate shake of her head.   
  
“You can’t live with them....” Charles offered with his own knowing smile, not bothering to finish the statement.   
  
The conversation with Sean hadn’t passed Erik’s attention as he turned to Charles, polite smile in place, and tilted his head as he asked, “There will be a new addition to the Westchester Reservation then?”   
  
“Oh yes,” Charles said, visibly brightening up at the topic. “A Mexican Gray, quite a feat for us since its home terrain is much more southerly then New York. But this wolf in particular is going to be an interesting experience...”   
  
As he spoke Charles started moving, following the sidewalk that led around the outside of the mansion. Erik and Moira followed in step next to him. “How so?” Erik asked, his mind instantly wondering what this new addition really meant.   
  
Charles shook his head a bit as he explained, “This wolf is one of the first in a growing epidemic. Coyotes down in the south are catching wolves and using them as guard dogs.”   
  
Erik tensed at the words, his mind reeling with their meaning. Moira jumped in to further explain, “So not only are these wild animals being kept in unnatural habitats, they are not being treated humanely, and are being used to scare other human beings.” She made a face as if smelling something awful. “We don’t even know if this wolf in particular can be returned to the wild. It was only in human hands for two weeks, which may give us some leeway, but there is no telling what they fed it, if they abused it...”   
  
Charles nodded. “Like I said it is a new problem appearing down in the southern states. We don’t know how the wolves are being treated in particular, but we have some ideas. Usually if a wolf acts out or gets more aggressive than its holders would like, they kill it. Some scientist are studying the carcasses of those wolves to see what they were fed and how they were treated, but of course their findings aren’t pleasant.”   
  
“Of course,” Erik took a deep breath.   
  
A smile found its way to Charles’ face despite the topic. “I fought tooth and nail to get the wolf here. We’re going to see if we can safely return it to the wilderness.”   
  
Moira nodded beside him. “So far any of these mistreated wolves have been abused for far too long to really help. This one may not be the case.”   
  
“And if you can’t return him to the wild?” Erik asked, trying to keep his tone light. He snuck a look over to Charles and saw the man licking his lips at the thought.   
  
Charles turned his head to Moira as he said, “I suppose he’ll be like Gandalf and Sarumon then...”   
  
Moira nodded, her look thoughtful, while Erik raised a brow, “Excuse me?”   
  
“They’re our two oldest wolves on the reserve,” Charles explained easily. “Oh, here is their kennel, over here...” He turned from the path suddenly and Erik faltered for a moment before following. Just a few feet from the path there was a high steel fence which didn’t seem to have a beginning or an end. He had noticed the gate earlier, but the enclosure seemed abandoned. Charles jogged just up to the fence before stopping and waiting for Moira and Erik to catch up. The brunet only smiled devilishly at Erik, holding up a finger to indicate silence and turning back to the kennel.   
  
Erik didn’t need the signal though: standing so close now he could smell the musk of wild wolf. There were two, both male and both old. He heard the sharp snap of branches and crunch of leaves. The first wolf to creep out from the cover of the brush was black with splotches of gray covering his face and chest. His ears were perked as he took in the people with wide yellow eyes but continued to move into view nonetheless. Charles made a small clicking noise in greeting that made the wolf perk. Following close behind, a gray and white speckled wolf stepped out. His movements looked stiff, but his tongue lolled out to one side as he happily panted. He didn’t notice the audience as his comrade had and instead nestled up to the black wolf, who mouthed his muzzle in play.   
  
“Erik, I’d like to introduce you to Gandalf and Sarumon. Gandalf is the gray and Sarumon is black,” Charles pointed out. “They’ve been here for four years. I took them in when a zoo wanted to retire them and couldn’t find a home. The two have been in captivity all their lives, so they need a little extra attention then the others. But they’re good animals, the best of friends if you haven’t noticed.”   
  
Erik nodded and the group watched the wolves for a moment longer. The two animals sniffed at the ground for awhile of time before Gandalf laid down and Sarumon collapsed next to him, licking gingerly at his friend’s ear.   
  
Charles was the one to step back first, and Moira and Erik followed him back to the path. “So this Mexican wolf will just be held on the reservation for an extended period of time?” Erik asked as they walked back.   
  
Moira was the one to answer him this time. “We rarely put down an animal here if we can help it.  Only if the wolf presents a danger to itself or the other inhabitants on the reserve do we consider that.”   
  
“I have plenty of room here,” Charles continued, sweeping a hand over the forest that stretched past the mansion. “No need to punish an animal for something that isn’t its fault.”   
  
Erik wanted to bring up the fact that these are wolves and present a very real threat simply by that fact alone. And while he knew Charles might enjoy the challenge of a good debate, he didn’t quite feel comfortable with Moira yet and instead said, “How big are the kennels here?”   
  
“An excellent question, Erik.” Charles clapped his hands together before delving into the various sizes of kennels they had and the reasoning for it. Moira rolled her bright brown eyes to Erik to give him an exasperated look, but her smile was bright and Erik found himself mirroring it.   
  
\---  
  
One by one Charles introduced the other residents of the Westchester Reservation. The large Timber wolf who had been at the reserve for only a few months while recovering from an injury inflicted by a hunter that left him blind in one eye. Charles introduced the grey-brown wolf as Cyclops, then a young Colombian wolf who had been found wandering alone by a sububurn town in western New York. How the wolf had strayed so far from its pack and natural habitat was still a mystery, and the plan had been to take her in momentarily while they found a pack to slowly introduce her too, but that plan had been thrown out the window when it was discovered the she wolf was pregnant, and she had just given birth to five pups last month. Only three of the pups had survived.   
  
Charles tried to hide his smile as he introduced her as “Rogue” and at Erik’s raised eyebrow he burst into laughter. “It fits her, doesn’t it? Off on her own. And to be completely honest with you, we tend to go through naming trends around here. The past couple months have been X-Men.”   
  
“Sean affectionately named Cyclops when we got him,” Moira piped in. “He reads those comics like they’re going out of style.”   
  
“So what are the names of her pups?” Erik couldn’t help but ask, thoroughly consumed as he took in the make-shift den in the kennel. Rogue was out of sight, tending to her pups inside a rock cavern.   
  
Charles’ smile broadened, “Jubilee and Mystique are the girls, and Gambit is the boy.”   
  
Erik’s brows rose in pure amusement as he asked, “Sean come up with all of those?”   
  
“Actually no, my sister Raven gave us Mystique,” Charles answered with a bit of exasperation. He didn’t reveal anything more before they continued onward.   
  
It was while they were in front of a kennel belonging to a beautiful Hudson Bay white wolf that Charles lovingly referred to as the Ice Queen, though that wasn’t her name, when Moira turned to him and said, “Mr. Lehnsherr, you’re not really taking any notes.”   
  
Erik flashed a toothy smile, and tapped his temple meaningfully. “No need for any, Dr. MacTaggert. I keep it all up here.”   
  
Moira nodded at the reply, but her brown eyes were still taking him in with a level of uncertainty when Charles turned back to them and announced that it was time to go into the mansion. They’d seen all the wolves; none of the them had given off the familiar smell of his kind. Erik’s eyes narrowed as he turned over the possibilities in his head. He had been _sure_ that his kind would be hiding in plain sight as a wolf. It made sense with Charles’ talk of wolf blood work, and the were form was naturally more comfortable than the human. If the informative was hiding in the estate woods, things might become more difficult. He would have to go investigate after the meeting.   
  
They had spent an hour outside in the brisk fall morning. While the chill hardly affected Erik, it was a drastic change walking into the warm stone building. Charles and Moira both sighed in bliss as the warm air hit their faces and immediately began to shuck their jackets while Erik glanced around.   
  
They had walked into the kitchen, or what seemed to be a kitchen. The room was almost too large to be called that, with a long table filling one side of the room and a length of cabinets and counters lining the other. It was the grand master of kitchens.   
  
Charles and Moira were quietly discussing which part of the mansion to show him. Apparently the place had an entire veterinary clinic attached to it, but Moira was arguing for their main office space which worked as the Reservation’s base of operations.   
  
Erik was about to make a comment about the large kitchen and ask what it did for the reservation when a sudden scent hit his nostrils and his entire body went rigid.   
  
“Charles?”   
  
“In here, Raven,” Charles called, pulling away from his conversation with his colleague just as a beautiful young woman entered the kitchen. “You’re home early, did they not need you at work?”   
  
Love and familiarity dripped from Charles’ voice as he spoke to the newcomer, and Erik had to hold himself back from glancing the other man’s way. He didn’t have to look to know the two were close and that Charles’ ridiculously charming smile was in place.  
  
The woman, Raven, stilled at the kitchen entrance, the smile freezing on her face as her piercing green eyes scanned the room and stopped on Erik. The werewolf felt his adrenaline surge at the sight.   
  
Erik graced the mole with a wolfish smile.


	4. Chapter 4

“Charles, do you have a private room where we can do the interview?”  
  
Erik’s words interrupted the introduction that was on the tip of Charles’ tongue. At first the most inappropriate thoughts came to mind at Erik’s request for privacy, but he quickly shook the feelings away. Smiling brightly at the tall man next to him he offered, “There is my private study.”  
  
Blue eyes glanced over to his colleague to see Moira shrug her shoulders. “I’ll head to my office then, see how Sean is doing.” She turned on her heel with the excuse and headed out of the kitchen towards the hallway where their personal offices were.  
  
Moira moved easily past Raven who hadn’t moved from her spot at the doorway, something Charles suddenly took notice of. She was staring at Erik, a little wide eyed and cautious, but Raven usually took a moment when meeting new people. New scents, a internal animal instinct that demanded her to figure out if a stranger was friend or foe. If Erik fell into the foe area Charles would have known by now.  
  
He gave his sister a questioning look though that she just licked her lips to before leading Erik into the main foyer. It was a large room; it usually took time for new people to get use to it. A sparkling chandelier hung above them and an almost too grand stair case at the far end of the hall led to the second floor. To the left there were the new offices, recently put in, and to the right was where his mother’s old parlor and father’s study laid. He moved to the right.  
  
His father’s study had always been one of his favorite rooms. A place where he was once read to until he fell asleep on the plush couch, the smell of his father’s cologne mixing with the mellow tone was one of Charles’ only memories of Francis Xavier.  He remembered curling up and reading on it when he was finally able to hold a book himself, and sitting at the large oak desk when he missed the past too much. It now served as his main hideaway. He should have been slightly embarrassed that the place was such a mess when he led Erik in; there were too many papers strewn about from where he was editing the night before, and the paperwork that needed looking over before the Mexican wolf arrived to his facility. The couch was free though and at a gesture Erik took his seat there.  
  
“So Erik, what would you like to talk about?” Charles started, taking the empty armchair nearby and cupping his hands.  
  
There was a smile on the other man’s face that Charles hadn’t seen yet. It was almost too wide and animalistic, it should be unnerving, but he couldn’t help but find it oddly handsome. The journalist leaned forward, “I think I’d like to talk more about werewolves, Charles,” he said and then his head jerked to the door, “Your sister will be here shortly.”  
  
“My sister?”  
  
And just like that there was a soft click and the door was pushed open. Raven slinked into the study without any okay from Charles, something she never did, especially when she knew he was busy with someone. It was strange. Just like how Erik knew she was about to come into the room.  
  
He couldn’t help but give the man a impressed look, “How did you know…”  
  
“Charles,” Raven interrupted, closing the door quietly behind her. When he turned back to her he saw a bright excited smile on her face, “He’s like me.”  
  
The words didn’t make sense at first. He turned them over in his mind,  brows scrunching the tiniest bit as he did so, and Raven crossed the room in four long strides, standing next to them while Erik took her in with raised eye brows. Her smile didn’t break and then she did an excited jump and repeated, “He’s like me!”  
  
And suddenly everything clicked into place.  
  
Raven threw herself at him, clutching his arm almost too tightly but Charles didn’t feel it. He was too busy staring at Erik, and taking in the surprised look on the other man’s face.  
  
“Erik?” his voice came out a little breathless. He took a moment to clear it while Raven squeaked and squealed into his ear.  
  
“Erik! Is that your name?” she extended a hand which Erik looked at as if he has never seen a handshake before. His mouth was opened in a confused “oh” that was almost cute as the blond werewolf prattled on. “I wanted to talk in the kitchen, you really took me by surprise. But Moira was there, and well… she doesn’t know. So I came in as soon as you two were alone. I’m sorry if I’m talking fast I’m just so excited -- I’ve never met another like me before.”  
  
Erik’s mouth closed then opened a few time as his eyebrows narrowed, “You’ve never met one of us before?”  
  
Raven shook her head, blond locks swaying from side to side. “Never. But I knew as soon as I saw you. You’re that funny smell that was on Charles yesterday aren’t you?” her body settled in place by Charles’ side and she managed to tear her eyes away from the new fascination that was Erik Lehnsherr to give her brother a breathtaking smile. “This is because of your book isn’t it? He came out because of your research?”  
  
It was the happiest he had ever seen his sister and it warmed Charles’ heart as he looked back at Erik and nodded. “Well Yes, Erik claims to be here because of an academic article, but it seems there is much more to him then meets the eye.”  
  
His own mouth felt stretched because he was smiling so much. The idea that Erik was the same as Raven, _a werewolf_ , it was a surprising discovery, and one that made him take in the man in front of him with new interest. Erik though, hadn’t really said much since Raven’s sudden arrival. Where he had been sitting, smug and comfortable moments ago, he now seemed strangely at a loss for words. Surely he had known Raven was like him the same way she had picked him out.  
  
“Erik,” he prodded gently, “Is something wrong?”  
  
The excitement in the room died down as Raven suddenly stopped talking. He could feel her own confusion slowly surface as Erik didn’t make a move for the longest time. A small part of Charles told him this isn’t a good sign but it wasn’t until Erik said, “I’ll say there’s a problem,” that he allowed himself to believe it.  
  
\---  
  
This was bad.  
  
It took a moment for him to figure out the best way to approach the sudden wrench in his plans. The bright pair of eyes looking at him just an arms length away didn’t help. Raven’s lips were pursed in unsureness and Charles couldn’t seem to stop licking his own nervously. Causing a bit of a distraction.   
  
Pinching the bridge of his nose he forced himself to take a deep breath. “A couple problems if I may be so bold. First, Ms. Raven-”  
  
“Just Raven,” the girl butted in quickly to correct him.  
  
“Raven,” he said slowly, “You have revealed yourself to Professor Xavier here.”  
  
He noticed Charles square his shoulders stiffly at being referred to as ‘ _Professor’,_ his blue eyes glancing down for the briefest of moments while Raven blinked. “Well yeah,” she said without the slightest hint of remorse, “He’s my brother.”  
  
Erik blinked,  “Your brother?” His records didn’t inform him that Charles Xavier had a sister. A were sister none the less. Xavier didn’t have were blood, that was for sure, and even if Raven was his sister her wolf parent should have taught her how to keep the secret even from her human family members. There was a careful balance held in the were community. Which was exactly why they usually didn’t marry outside the “family.” Too many complications. Sometimes it happened though, and if that was the case it was of utmost importance that the secret be kept. Lest something like the current situation arise.  
  
In front of him Raven let out a slight laugh. “Foster brother -- sorry,” she amended quickly with a sheepish smile. Her hand on Charles’ arm gave a affectionate squeeze while her eyes remained locked on Erik. “He took me in when I had no where else to go. Charles has known my entire life.”  
  
The story sunk in slowly, like molasses, and he had to ask, “You’re abandoned?”  
  
“Yes.” Her chin came up as she said the word without shame.  
  
The situation began to build itself before Erik. Unfortunately it wasn’t becoming better, just more complicated.  
  
“He won’t tell.” Raven said suddenly and with such conviction it caught Erik slightly off guard.  
  
Charles turned his head towards her and hushed, “Raven - “  
  
“What? You _won’t._ ” Her attention snapped back to Erik, her mouth a firm line set in determination. “He’s kept my secret all these years. You don’t have to worry.”  
  
Erik gathered his words; he needed to think about the next thing to say - mold how to say it. “It’s not that your brother won’t tell, Raven, the problem is that he already knows.” He glanced at Charles and noticed the young man was still holding his gaze. Expression schooled and unreadable. “Charles knows a secret that no other human has ever fully comprehended in almost two hundred years. There are rules and regulations where this type of thing is concerned.”  
  
He left out the fact that Charles should be dead according to all pack laws, that he was sent there to do the deed. But the two sitting in front of him were a loophole in a system. Raven had been ignorant to any knowledge of were society and its rules and Charles had done her a kindness taking her in.  
  
Reporting the situation to the pack master wouldn’t guarantee anything, but it gave them time. One thing was for certain though…  
  
“Charles, if you publish this book you will die,” he stated sternly. “All your information -- its too close, we can’t allow it to go public.”  
  
To his surprise the blue eyed man nodded. “Of course. I will cancel the book publishing as soon as possible.”  
  
“Charles - “ Raven said by his side; she looked confused but her voice trailed off. It was clear she didn’t quite know what to say, but Charles smiled at her fondly and placed a comforting hand over her own.  
  
“Its fine, Raven, the book’s publication is really nothing if it means violating the privacy of others.”  
  
The fact that Charles came to the decision so easily threw Eric off. He assumed a scientist like Charles would at least protest the sudden discarding of his book, of his research that he had been working at for years.  
  
Charles gave him a remorseful look. “My thesis though has already hit the publications and there is nothing I can do about that,” he explained.  
  
All Erik could do was nod, “Then there is nothing that can be done. I will get in contact with my elders and discuss the next plan of action.”  
  
“And until then, Erik?” Charles tilted his head at the question.  
  
Erik worked his jaw, grinding his teeth. He almost hated the way Charles seemed so calm about the situation, so unremorseful that he was the black splotch on Erik’s perfect plans. He tried to keep all of those feelings out of his voice as he said, “Go about your lives. I’ll come back when I have news.”  
  
“Go about our lives?” Raven gawked, her mouth open in a surprised smile as she looked from Charles to Erik then to the bookshelves that lined the walls before back to Erik. “How can we do that? After what you told us? I’m not _alone_ any more,” she added the last part as if to emphasize something and gave Erik a pointed look, “and you’re just going to leave?”  
  
The words were accusing and made Erik sit up a little straighter in his chair. “Oh don’t worry, I won’t be far,” he gave a look of his own to Charles and Raven – making the point that they were under his careful gaze. “This situation is far from over.”  
  
The siblings turned to each other, completely unfazed by the threat that laced his words, and more concerned with their own silent conversation. When they turned back to Erik Raven was wearing a small sly smile that Erik vaguely remembered seeing on Charles’ face the other day. “Then why don’t you stay with us?”  
  
Erik felt his face fall. Felt the muscles give into shock and tighten then release so suddenly that his jaw goes slack and the skin around his eyes sink low. His first thought was that it must be a trap -- they want him there so he can’t report back, to shut him up -- but then he reminded himself that Charles probably winced every time he drew blood from animals and Raven probably couldn’t catch a barn mouse if she wanted to. Then he wondered if this was a joke.  
  
“Please,” Raven pulled away from her spot beside Charles for the first time and put her hands together in a gesture as if she was praying to a god. “Hear me out, I’ve never met someone like me before. I would really like… to hear about your life. About werewolves in general. And what can it hurt? You won’t be doing anything where ever it is you’re going - right? You can be… like my mentor.”  
  
“Mentor?” Erik’s lips drew up in a terrifying smile. The word was almost laughable, but he couldn’t overlook the subtle desperation in Raven’s voice. Her loneliness. He couldn’t imagine a life without his pack; even though Erik was very much the black sheep of the Hellfire pack it was something he had always had. A home territory, surrounded by people just like him. Raised by a mother and father who taught him to shift, and following an alpha who taught him to fight.  
  
Raven never had that. She had a human brother who couldn’t and would never be able to connect with her the way Erik can. He almost felt bad for Charles, but Raven was right. It wouldn’t hurt his mission, just make it easier when word came back. He could keep a closer eye on the two, know their mannerisms. Make sure Charles followed through on canceling the publication, make sure Raven didn’t do anything more stupid that could put them in jeopardy,  make sure the two were safe from any other weres that didn’t know what Erik knew.  
  
He shook his head, clearing it of the muddled thoughts. “As long as Charles doesn’t have a problem with it, I suppose,” Erik agreed.  
  
Charles rubbed at the skin under his jaw as he said, “Of course it is no problem. We have more then enough room if you haven’t noticed.” He gave Erik a careful smile, as if his mind were still trying to catch up to the conversation, and Erik couldn’t help but smile back, because the feeling was mutual.


	5. Chapter 5

Erik woke up earlier than usual to make the call to Miami. The quiet hours before dawn, when the lines between night and morning were blurred by stars and sounds, were his favorites. He worked best at that time, usually getting up for a morning hunt or to tie up any loose strings to a job.  
  
Charles’ case didn’t just have loose strings though: the thing was unraveling at the seams before his fucking eyes. And even though Erik had locked himself in the offered guest room to come up with a new plan of attack he still felt overwhelmingly at a loss.  
  
Raven and Charles were a hiccup in the very delicate rules of pack life. Never before had a were knowingly revealed themselves because of ignorance to the rules. His kind was particular about caring for their own, a mother would never abandon her pup with no mentor without something drastic happening.  
  
This matter was out of his hands, and Erik hated when things were no long his to control. The ball was in Shaw’s court now, or it would be as soon as the Alpha answered his phone.  
  
The digital tone ringed once, then twice while Erik licked his chops and paced the length of the room. On the fourth ring his thumb stabbed the _End Call_ button and he tossed the cell phone onto the plush bed.  
  
The room was stifling, he needed to get out. Go for a run. It always did the trick of clearing his mind. Letting the inner wolf out had a way of easing him to the edge that always seemed to loom over his mind. And Charles had more then enough land for a lengthy run.  
  
Without a second thought, Erik yanked open the door to his room, he heard the hinges of the old door creak at his unintended strength, but he didn’t stick around to examine if any damage was done.  
  
He turned down the hallway that led to the main hall and stopped. Standing in the middle of the dimly lit corridor stood Raven. Hair slightly tangled from sleep and dressed in only a loose T shirt and running shorts. Her body looked tense, and if Erik had to guess he would think she’d been standing in his hallway for more then a couple minutes.  
  
He watched as Raven’s lips pursed and she took him in, just as surprised to see him suddenly standing before her. She hesitated, looking like the prey Erik hunted rather then one of the hunters.  
  
With a sigh Erik took pity on her.  
  
“Come with me,” he said steadily, picking his pace back up and brushing past her.  
  
Raven fell into step beside him faster then he expected. “Where are you going?” she asked, sounding alert and excited.  
  
“For a run, and you’re coming with me. You probably know these woods better then I do.”  
  
If Raven was confused about which form they would be doing the run in she didn’t voice it. Erik concentrated firmly on finding his way out of Charles’ maze of a mansion and ignoring the beaming girl next to him.  
  
  
\---  
  
It was almost easy to believe that nothing was out of the ordinary when Charles woke up the next morning. The sun was still blinding as it seeped in through the cracks of his blinds, and his alarm clock still buzzed obnoxiously at precisely seven o’clock, the usual feeding time for the wolves. It was Saturday, meaning Sean had the day off and Moira wouldn’t be coming in till noon. He also reminded himself that Rogue’s puppies were getting a check-up in the evening, and the Mexican Grey’s paper work needed to be faxed in no later than eight.  
  
His to-do list danced behind his eye lids as he pawed at his face. Whipping away the drool and grime from the night. Dressed only in loose grey sweatpants and the rumpled green shirt he’d received while assisting a wolf reservation in Germany, Charles shuffled out of his room. He needed coffee, and his stomach was growling in need of something filling. The past days spent hovering over his research had resulted in little hot meals. The weekend was the perfect time to amend that particular problem but...  
  
 _Wolves first,_ he reminded himself, _no scratch that, coffee then wolves._ The marble of the kitchen floor felt like ice against his bare feet. As he did every morning, Charles cursed his mother’s old need to make every inch of the mansion look as though it were a museum. He didn’t think twice about the fact that the coffee machine was already brewing. He grabbed a mug that had been recently washed and was sitting in the dish dryer and filled it to the brim with steaming black coffee.  
  
Eyes closed in bliss, he inhaled the warm smell of the brew and brought the cup to his lips. When he lowered it and opened his eyes he found himself looking out the kitchen window to the back of the mansion. Where there were no kennels built yet, only miles and miles of green woods and one white wolf standing at the tree line.  
  
Wait...  
  
Charles’ heart jumped into his throat at the sight of it, a good long (shaky) moment before his brain caught up to the sight and he reminded himself it was Raven. Of course it was Raven. He would recognize her anywhere, even in the not so familiar form. She was fluffier than the usual Arctic Wolf and her eyes always held that spark of human intelligence Charles found both unnerving and fascinating.  
  
Raven stood in place panting happily for only a second before a much larger animal bounded up to her side. Again Charles felt panic swell from his toes to his chest, causing a painful squeeze, as he took in the wolf beside his sister. It was dark brown, almost black, and on some parts of the animal’s coat the fur was dipped in what one could call black. It was a beautiful coloring, making it easy for the creature to blend into the woods and the night. The brown wolf towered over Raven, whose head barely passed the other’s hackles.  
  
From where he stood Charles couldn’t quite tell what color the wolf’s eyes were, but it didn’t matter. He supposed the eyes would be a blue-grey color, the same as their human form. He watched as Erik turned to Raven, and in turn Raven yipped happily and pranced out of reach. Shaking his head in clear annoyance Erik stepped closer, his larger form putting him directly next to the smaller wolf again and he nipped lightly at her ear.  
  
The sight was almost breathtaking, which was silly since Charles had seen wolves interact in exactly the same way countless times. But knowing these were two werewolves put an entirely different spin on things. Bringing his coffee back for another sip, he wondered if he would be allowed to study their interactions more, just for his own personal research of course, but the question kept nagging at the edge of his brain how much of the human consciousness remained when they were animals.  
  
Raven explained it once as muddled. She still processed thoughts in English, gave time to ideas such as when to come near the mansion, if people were around, not to bother the other wolves too much, but it would be easy to let go and let the inner animal take over. She admitted to never doing that before. But Erik, Charles knew, was probably the exact opposite.  
  
He downed the rest of his coffee and walked to the porch door where a pair of mud boots waited to be slipped on along with a light flannel - his usual attire when doing early morning chores - then he stepped out in the brisk fall morning. It was chilly, but there was no wind, and nearly perfect weather for what he was dressed for. Still, Charles crossed his arms over his chest and huddled into his coat. As soon as he closed the glass door behind him, he caught the attention of the two werewolves in the background.  
  
Raven didn’t hesitate, she bounded towards him, tail wagging and her mouth open in a wolf’s grin. The sight made Charles momentarily forget the chill. “Hello, darling,” he greeted, bending down as she pushed against his legs in greeting and rubbed her fur affectionately. Her winter coat was coming in, he noticed, which explained the extra dose of fluff. “May I inquire what you are doing up so early?”  
  
“We decided to go for a run,” announced Erik’s voice.  
  
Charles was so surprised to hear it his head shot up to look where the brown wolf had been standing and nearly staggered back at the sight of a very naked Erik. A startled yelp escaped him as he quickly turned to the side and tried to look elsewhere, blue eyes dancing back and forth in a nearly maniac way. “Erik! Y-you’re naked. Where are your clothes? P-Put something on?”  
  
The other man didn’t reply but there was soon a strange shift in the air and suddenly a warm body standing next to him. “Don’t be silly Charles, what did you expect?”  
  
A scream ripped out of his throat this time as he caught the sight of Raven’s pink flesh. “Raven!” Charles turned on his heels trying to avoid the two stark naked people standing in his backyard but the glass of the backdoor reflected everything clearly back at him and he hissed before shutting his eyes entirely.  
  
Beside him he heard Raven sigh and cluck her tongue, “Really, Charles...”  
  
“Raven, you are my _sister_ ,” he told the darkness behind his eyelids, “And Erik is our house guest. Despite what you may think, seeing you both naked is _not_ normal.”  
  
“It is completely normal for our kind, Charles,” Erik’s voice came out from somewhere not so far away. “I was just trying to teach Raven to be more comfortable in both her forms.”  
  
Charles knew Raven was probably grinning next to him. He swallowed the sudden nervous lump in his throat and cracked one eye open, enough to see the path that led from the back porch to the kennels. “Well that’s fine with me and all, I just... need a little more of a warning...” he offered.  
  
Raven cheered and he heard her move to hug him before holding out a hand. Miraculously he did not touch anything fleshy. “No naked hugs,” he stated firmly. “Now... go get dressed. I need to feed the wolves.”  
  
“I’ll start on breakfast,” offered Raven and Charles thanked her before he heard the sound of the door opening and closing in her wake.  
  
Erik still stood nearby he knew, and Charles took a deep breath before saying as politely as he could, “That goes for you too.”  
  
“I like how I am.”  
  
And Charles knew that if he looked he would like it as well, but he shook his head. “You’re the one all for secrecy, my friend. If Moira or Sean were here they would wonder why the journalist for an academic journal is wandering the estate _naked_.”  
  
He heard the slight scoff, “Neither are here now. I would smell them.” But the rustle of footsteps moving across the yard followed it and Charles felt his body relax as Erik came to reason.  
  
“You’re right, but Moira will be back this evening and so will our personal vet,” he explained just as a body brushed by him. “I’ll be in shortly, just need to check on the animals.”  
  
“I could come and help.” offered the other man and Charles almost jumped at how close his voice was now. Right behind him. He blinked both eyes now, staring out at the yard where no one stood now.  
  
Erik’s offer was tempting but Charles shook his head, “Not like that you aren’t, go get dressed.”  
  
He heard a thoughtful hum come from behind him. The sound came out more of a soft growl than the noise of consideration that it was. Then the click of the door opening as the werewolf stepped inside.  
  
Finally alone, Charles took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and sighed. He could just make out the fog of his own breath in the chill morning, it was dim but still there. The howls of the wolves echoed in the background, reminding him that there were chores that needed to be done. Mouths that needed to be fed.  
  
Huddling back into his coat once more, Charles marched out towards the kennels.  
  
\---  
  
When he came back into the kitchen nearly forty minutes later, cheeks flushed from the morning breeze, with bits of grass on his jacket and splotches of water decorating his sweats, Charles found both Raven and Erik seated at the table fully dressed with cereal and orange juice sitting in front of them. They looked remarkably civilized compared to earlier. He probably would have been fooled too, if their conversation hadn’t made him pause while taking off his jacket.  
  
“Are you serious! We have packs?”  
  
Raven had been the one to say it, the words coming out in a disbelieving laugh.  
  
“Don’t laugh,” Erik said sternly but not unkindly, “Wolves have packs and normal humans have their immediate family. It only makes sense, wouldn’t you agree? - Oh, welcome back, Charles.”  
  
Raven’s eyes flashed to where her brother stood still brushing off the dirt and grass from his jacket and flashed him a brief smile before turning back to the conversation.  
  
“Charles,” Raven called back to him, “did you know Erik is from Miami? That’s where his pack is from.” Her face was pulled back in her wide smile that showed his sister was holding herself back from gushing, but Charles could practically hear her in his head continuing, _“Packs! Charles, there are more of us!”_  
  
He had to make sure his face didn’t show how incredibly intrigued he was by the conversation. Charles’ brain greedily collected the information and stored it away in a mental file for later investigation. A couple things were clear to Charles: packs meant Erik and his kind had a system resembling the animals they took after, which brought up a collective bundle of new questions. How similar were they to the animals? How many packs were there? Erik had mentioned the other night that he had a pack master - what did that entail?  
  
Pursing his mouth to keep from blurting out his questions on accident, he took the empty seat where Raven had laid out a bowl with cereal and milk sitting near by and began to prepare his breakfast. “So Erik,” he said eventually after swallowing his first mouthful of crunchy cereal, “Did you get in contact with your pack master then?”  
  
“I called early this morning,” explained Erik, “but he wasn’t there. Not even his mate picked up-“  
  
“Mate?” Raven gawked but her smile was still in place and there was a hint of a squeal in her voice as she said the word. It was clear she was loving this just as much as Charles. Both were fond Werewolf connoisseurs for different reasons, but when information was dangled in front of their noses, even as children neither really knew how to control themselves.  
  
Erik’s eyes glanced her way briefly but he shrugged off the irritation in his shoulders as he turned back to the conversation. “I should hear back from them by this afternoon.”  
  
Ignoring the tightening knot in his stomach Charles nodded and turned to his sister. “I think this is the earliest I’ve ever seen you up, Raven. I dare say this is the first time in weeks I’ve had breakfast with you.”  
  
“Oh hush Charles,” his sister said with a dramatic sigh then explained, “Erik and I went for a run.”  
  
“Ah, right.” The image of the two wolves prancing around the back yard in the morning glow came to mind. “About that, as much as I enjoyed seeing you two out there instead of one of the animals, I have to say that during the weekday you shouldn’t go for another one of your ‘runs.’ If Moira or Sean were here they would have a heart attack.”  
  
“But they aren’t here, and if they were we would smell them.” Raven quickly mended a stubborn look that Charles knew well had set in her mouth.  
  
He nodded, “Yes, but I’m expecting Moira this afternoon along with Dr. McCoy, I’m just saying-“ blue eyes turned away from Raven and settled on Erik as he stated, “You’re not the only ones here on the reserve.”  
  
“I think I know how to keep a secret, Charles,” said Erik, lips quirked up in amusement as they locked eyes. There seemed to be an underlying message in his words, something to the effect that Charles should be more worried about himself. But it wasn’t his skin he wanted to spare, it was Raven’s. It had always been Raven’s.  
  
So he was Charles again and not Professor. The man sitting across from him was a mystery; Charles couldn’t keep up with the ever changing dynamic of their relationship, but then again he wondered if even Erik could.  
  
“I’m just making sure you know the rules of the house, my friend.” Picking up his empty bowl Charles shuffled over to the sink and deposited the dishes with a quiet clatter. “I’m off to take a shower before Moira gets here then.”  
  
“How long will that be?” Raven peeped up from her place at the table.  
  
Charles glanced back to see she wasn’t even looking at him. Raven’s eyes were trained on Erik, admiration reading clearly across her face, along with something else. Charles cleared his throat slightly before saying, “About one, along with Hank McCoy. They’re checking on Rogue’s puppies. You're welcome to help.”  
  
“Puppies!” yipped the woman behind him.  
  
He knew his sister’s weaknesses well. Turning his body closer to the sink to hide his smile, Charles called back, “I’ll take that as a yes. Erik, you’re welcome to come as well.” He blamed years of high society and etiquette classes for the extended invitation and he wondered much too late if it could be taken as rude. Erik was here on business after all, and not the journalistic business he had earlier thought.  
  
“If I come by it will be only to keep a watchful eye on the two of you,” Erik stated from his place at the table before lifting his coffee to his lips and sipping loudly.  
  
The words were supposed to be a reminder, an underlying warning, but Charles couldn’t help but think about Erik’s beautiful grey-blue eyes watching him, and a cold shiver rushed down his back.  
  
\---  
  
He tried to meet Moira first before she could come in and get the chance to make her own assumptions to why Erik Lehnsherr was still in the manor. Unfortunately Charles forgot about Erik’s car – still parked at the entrance of the manor. He knew he was in a heap of trouble the moment Moira’s wide brown eyes turned on him.  
  
Charles had enough time to take one step back up the front stairs before his colleague clutched at the sleeve of his sweater. “Charles, why is Lehnsherr’s car still here?”  
  
“Well uh…”  
  
“You said you two were wrapping things up yesterday when I left.”  
  
“Yes and…”  
  
“He spent the night didn’t he?”  
  
“Yes…” He never really could lie to save his life and the word slipped out before he knew what was happening.  
  
Moira’s inquisitive eyes sparked at the words and Charles closed his own with a low groan. “What’s going on?” she pried, lips curved up in a delicate smile that said she was already making her own assumptions.  
  
“Nothing.” The arm Moira was holding twined itself around her waist as he led her around to the kennels. If there was ever a time he needed his big brain to be of use, it was now, coming up with an excuse. Before the woman by his side could get another word in he was already speaking, “Erik’s journal decided they wanted the article to be a feature. Especially after they heard about the new Mexican Grey we’ll be getting. He’ll be staying here for a few days.”  
  
“Oh?” Moira sounded unsure but excited as she was led to the wolves. “That’s great, Charles --  isn’t the article suppose to be about your book though?”  
  
Oh yeah, the book. He could feel his nose crinkling at the reminder. “Yes, about that. I don’t think the book is ready for publication right now.”  
  
“What?” The body next to him stopped abruptly in its tracks, jerking his body to a halt as well. Charles sometimes forgot the strength Moira could muster. He’d witnessed it a couple times of course, when she lifted heavy equipment around the reserve, when she hauled bags of dog food out of the bed of the trucks, and the numerous times they’d trekked in the wilderness - Charles nearly out of breath while Moira looked like she could go on for days.  
  
“Charles,” Moira was looking at him as if he had suggested eating kittens for diner, “you’ve worked so hard for this. Why are you telling me this now?”  
  
He tried to look nonplussed by the heartbreak clearly reading across his friend’s face. The hand that was still around her waist gave a reassuring squeeze, “I’m going to scrap the book. I’m too busy right now, and it still needs so much work.”  
  
“Is this because of Lehnsherr?”  
  
Charles tried to make his face unreadable and continue the performance, “Don’t be silly, I’ve been thinking this over for a long time, and now that its coming down to the wire I’m just realizing I’m not ready.”  
  
“But Charles…” Moira looked like the argument wasn’t settled, but a quick kiss on her cheek put an end to the discussion, for now.  
  
“Later, love,” he interjected as the familiar sight of wired kennels came into view. Alongside Rogue’s kennel lay a line of small carriers he’d set out earlier to carry the puppies in. “We have some wolves to gather up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a Picture of Erik's Wolf form. Enjoy!
> 
>  


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the comments, kudos, and encouragement. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait, it was really difficult to write for some reason. 
> 
> Also, I'm going back and making slight edits to past chapters. Nothing to alarming of a change, but I'm trying to make sure the formatting is right. Thanks again and Enjoy. 
> 
> Further notes are at the end of the chapter.

Hank McCoy was quite possibly the youngest veterinarian Charles had ever met. He was fresh out of school, top of his class, and in his past year as the Reserve’s personal vet it was plain to see that he was quite talented.  
  
Hank had an unnatural bravery and calmness while handling the wild animals on Charles’ land. There was a lot of talk that the young man was some sort of animal whisperer. Which was surprising, considering that Hank looked like a meager mouse compared to the majestic wolves. Even handling the spunky puppies, Hank’s face wavered between uncertainty and nervousness while his hands remained steady, keeping a scrambling Mystique in place as he injected a vaccine.  
  
The puppy yelped in surprise, but after the initial shock she quickly calmed down as Hank’s thumb smoothed over its withers. The man would never cease to surprise Charles with the way he handled the animals.  
  
His people skills could use some work though, he noted, watching Hank hand the pup to an eager Raven. The vet’s face flushed a bright red and his eyes darted to every corner of the room as he handed the pup over, but Raven showed uncharacteristic patience with him as she just smiled and took puppy with ease. Moira and Sean were doing their part to slowly bring Hank out of his shell - with every visit to the Reserve they managed to keep him chatting for just a little longer.  
  
The thought warmed Charles as he reveled in the amazing people he worked with. Over the years, the Reserve had slowly expanded his family.  
  
And it would keep expanding, Charles thought cheerfully, cupping his own squirming puppy – Gambit, the squirmiest of the bunch - to his chest as he looked across the room and spotted Erik leaning against the wall, looking woefully bored. Erik’s blue-grey eyes flickered under his gaze and focused on him. Charles flashed the man a well-meaning smile, and experienced with no real surprise when Erik did not return it.  
  
Erik had been watching with cautious awe while they vaccinated the puppies. When Hank had first walked in, Charles noticed Erik rolling his eyes and clenching his jaw as if the man’s mere presence was a cause of irritation.  
  
“That should be it then,” Hank said with a sigh of relief.  
  
“Thanks again for coming out here, Hank. We really appreciate it,” Charles said, pausing as Gambit began to mouth on his fingers. Raven and Moria both laughed at the sight, and Hank’s neck flushed red as he began to secure his needles.  
  
“It’s really no problem, Professor Xavier.”  
  
A low digital jingle punctuated the air before Charles could say anything else. He turned to the far wall to see Erik picking through his pockets and pulling out a cell phone with alarming calm. The man didn’t even spare the group a look before exiting the make-shift vet’s office.  
  
Charles felt his mouth go dry as he heard the metal door slam shut with a clang. When he turned back to the room, Moira was talking to Hank, but Raven was giving him an eager look.  
  
He flashed her a reassuring smile before bending down to nuzzle Gambit’s fur.  
  
“Before you leave, Hank, we’d like you to check out Cyclops. We’re considering him for release soon,” Moira was saying as she bounced the puppy Jubilee gently in hand.  
  
Hank nodded. “I’m not busy at the moment. When were you considering releasing him?”  
  
“As soon as possible,” Charles assisted. “If you give the okay, we’ll do it next weekend perhaps.”  
  
“He’s the one missing an eye, right? Alright,” Hank dug threw his medical bag for a moment looking for something then nodded again. “Let’s get these puppies back to their mother and check on him.”  
  
After tucking the puppies into their carriers, Moira led the way outside with Sean and Hank in hot pursuit. Charles stayed kneeling by the puppy carriers with Raven until the door closed behind them.  
  
“I’m going to have to join them Raven, but why don’t you see how our guest is doing?” It was harder than he thought to find his voice; his heart was beating faster then he’d expected. With everyone out of the room his thoughts raced back to the underlying tension around them.   
  
Erik. Werewolves. Pack.   
  
Raven didn’t argue. She scuffed the heel of her boot against the aluminum floor and asked, “Don’t you need help bringing the puppies back?”  
  
“I can manage, thanks.” To emphasize his point, he picked up the two remaining carriers and turned to her with a smile.  
  
Her own flash of teeth was a little weary. “We’re going to be alright, right?” she asked, suddenly looking very small and vulnerable.  
  
“Of course we are, and life will continue the way it is. The two of us against the world.”  
  
He had meant the words to be encouraging, but he’d obviously said something wrong. Raven frowned as if she wanted to disagree with something, but decided better of it. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry that I got us tangled up in this.”  
  
“Oh Raven, I’m not.” His words were sincere, and he noticed she looked a little more at ease.  
  
“If I have to, I’ll protect us Charles.”  
  
“I know you will.”  
  
\---  
  
“This is Lehnsehrr,” Erik said, popping the phone open as soon as the door slammed closed behind him. The door he’d taken led back into the mansion area, close to the kitchen and the Reserve’s offices. The fresh smell of old wood and air fresheners was a welcome shock to his nostrils after being in a room that smelled of sterile metal and alcohol.  
  
He hadn’t enjoyed the small veterinary room; it was too clean and confining, especially with six people crammed into it. The puppies hadn’t enjoyed it either, fidgeting and fighting to get away to the more welcome warmth of their mother. Maybe the humans hadn’t noticed, but Erik had, fighting the same sensation crawling under his skin.  
  
It had been a little easier to control his instincts while watching how easy Raven handled herself. She must have become used to the sights and smells, and it was clear that she found something relaxing in the male vet - Hank.   
  
The word _mate_ rang out in Erik’s head, with a intense sense of irritation.  
  
The boy had nothing about him that said _provider_ , and everything that said _human._ The thought of mating with a human made his stomach churn. Some weres did it - the Hell fire pack had a strict policy against the intermingling of human and weres. There was too much at stake if something went wrong. Erik knew the brutality of humans, better than most.  
  
People like Charles - well, the verdict was still out for Charles. Erik wasn’t completely sold on whether he could trust the other man, but there wasn’t just a human involved in the Xavier case. There was one of his own kind at stake - hundreds at stake if the two siblings slipped up and the secret got out.  
  
Already he could feel the frustration making his body taut, could feel his canines grinding against each other painfully. He snapped into the receiver of the phone again, “Hello?”  
  
“Sorry Sugar, I was multi-tasking.”  
  
He took a shallow breath at the voice. “Why are you calling, Emma?”  
  
“Is that any way to talk to your female Alpha?” the silky southern voice drawled on. “No, I didn’t think so. Especially after I’m returning your eager calls. How goes New York?”  
  
“I need to talk to Shaw.” He tried to keep his voice level; it wouldn’t do to growl at his pack’s second-in-command.   
  
“He’s out on business right now, I can take a message,” Emma said, sounding sweet and condescending.  
  
Erik gritted his teeth - like hell he would give her the details. “This is for Shaw’s ears only,” he lied.  
  
“And what’s Sebastian’s is mine sweetie, that’s how this partnership works - but you wouldn’t know about that, now would you?”  
  
The backhanded comment rolled off Erik’s back. He’d heard it all before, and he preferred his lifestyle over being anchored down to someone else.  
  
Emma was waiting for something, some hint of news to pass onto her beloved mate, and Erik needed to think. “We have a situation here. Other weres are involved and I need Shaw’s final word on the matter. So you just pass this along and have the Alpha make the decision, because that’s how _that_ partnership works - am I right, Emma?”  
  
There was a long pause on the other end of the line and he could only imagine how the ice queen looked at that moment. A cruel smile tugged at Erik’s lips even after Emma answered in a clipped tone, “I’ll tell Sebastian as soon as I can.”  
  
“And fucking hurry.” He growled even though the other end had gone dead.  
  
Clicking the phone shut, he turned on his heel, ready to return to the veterinary office to continue keeping an eye on Charles, when he caught sight of Raven standing by the door frame looking abashed. He worked his jaw once, twice, before realizing his stupid mistake. Her scent filled the hallway, he should have noticed her earlier, but his annoyance at Emma had been a distraction.  
  
“You didn’t mention me and Charles…” she said solemnly, careful to keep her tone unrecognizable.  
  
Erik’s mouth went dry - so she had heard. “I didn’t mention anything that I didn’t have to.”  
  
“But wasn’t that your pack?” Raven tilted her head questioningly.  
  
His teeth ground against each other as he tried to discern the direction this conversation was going. “Yes, but this concerns only me and the alpha.”  
  
“So you don’t trust them.”  
  
She was smart, there was no doubting that. He licked his chops and conceded, “No.”  
  
“Why not?” Raven sounded genuinely curious, but where adoration once adorned her eyes there was now suspicion and uncertainty.  
  
“There are politics and ideals at play here, Raven. Do you always get along with your brother?” He couldn’t keep the snap out of his voice, but Raven didn’t flinch.  
  
“Of course I don’t,” she dismissed with a wave of her hand, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t trust him with anything and everything. Why didn’t you tell them?”  
  
Erik was about to snap his reasoning at her when his tongue twisted and everything felt lost. “I - this is my business, Raven.”  
  
“Right right, and you’re not going to tell me even if I nag and nag, but this is mine and Charles’ business as well, Erik.” Her eyes flashed dangerously, the predator finally showing its face, and Erik felt a thrill at the sight. Not just at the thought that Raven was challenging him, but at her words. A part of him felt as if she were treading on dangerous territory.  
  
 _His territory._    
  
Maybe Raven wasn’t the sweet docile house dog he had earlier thought.  
  
“Got it, Raven,” he said, because he knew that’s what she wanted to hear. Raven nodded curtly before brushing past him.  
  
“And we’re still on for a run tomorrow.”  It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. Luckily for Raven she wasn’t a part of his pack or he would have taken it as a challenge of authority. Still, he felt his hackles rise.  
  
“We are, and don’t expect it to be easy,” he shot back.  
  
Raven laughed as she strolled down to the main foyer of the mansion and her voice called back to him, sounding a little too pleased, “I look forward to it.”  
  
\---  
  
“He’s eating regularly?”  
  
Charles nodded stiffly from where he crouched beside Hank, one gloved hand smoothing over Cyclops’ soft fur while the wolf lay in a subdued state. He’d been amazed by the agility with which Hank tranquilized the wolf, a quick reminder that the vet was a little more than a bumbling genius.  
  
Leaning over the grown wolf, Hank looked more intense than he had with the puppies. His glasses were pushed up against his nose as his fingers expertly pressed against the various parts of the animals body. Feeling for a pulse, checking for injured muscles, and assessing weight. Hank pulled back, seeming pleased with the state of Cyclops’ body, and began to rifle through his med pack once again. Then it was time to answer the serious question at hand - Cyclops’ eye.  
  
Hank wielded a strange-looking instrument in front of the wolf’s face and used his fingers to pry the bad eye open as far as possible. Charles gave him a moment of examination before asking, “How does it look, Hank?”  
  
“He’s definitely blind, or nearly there. But just in this eye - the other one seems to react to the light perfectly fine,” Hank answered, leaning back on his haunches to look at Charles and Moira.  
  
The two caretakers looked unnerved by the news. “So what do we do now?” Moira asked quietly.  
  
“Well, it’s not like there aren’t wild wolves who have had worse injuries and survived. If he was missing a limb, I’d definitely say don’t release him, but it’s just one eye. He can function and hunt. Will he be able to integrate into a pack again? That I can’t say, but he can survive.” Hank’s lips twitched up, in what Charles thought was the young man attempting to reassure them. “It’s really your call, the two of you.”  
  
“Thank you, Hank.” Charles sighed, patting the wolf once more before standing up. Thick leaves crunched under foot and scattered from his pants while Hank did the same. Moira pushed forward from where she stood by the fence and went to fetch a slab of meat to treat Cyclopes once he came around. “I think I’ll give a friend of mine at a reservation up north a call. We have to at least try. I’d hate for such a strong, healthy wolf to be locked up here forever.”  
  
“I’m sure you’ll do what’s best for the guy,” Hank said with a smile as they walked out of the pen, just as Moria returned. They left the wolf his present in a clean bowl and Charles checked his water one last time before finally locking up and heading towards the drive way.  
  
“So we’ll see you next week then?” Moira asked pleasantly as they strolled across the estate.  
  
“Is that when the Mexican Grey is coming in?” Hank tilted his head towards the two older biologists while Charles nodded.  
  
“Yes, we don’t really know the state he’ll be in. They’ve kept him in a quarantine at a New Mexico reservation, so he’ll definitely need your expert opinion.”  
  
Hank laughed, a slight blush creeping across his face. Compliments were not something he handled well. “I’ll be here, then.”  
  
“Good,” Moira nodded before turning to Charles with a inquisitive stare, “and does our new tenant have a home built for him?” She already knew the answer, but the smile dying on Charles’ face made her smirk nonetheless.  
  
“I’ve been meaning to get around to it.”  
  
“A pen doesn’t build itself in one day, Charles. It has to be large enough for the animal, remember?”  
  
“You know I’m rubbish at building this sort of thing.”  
  
“Then hire someone?” Moira sounded exasperated as she threw out the suggestion.  
  
Charles hesitated at the proposal. Hiring someone would mean new people running around the house. He knew Raven wouldn’t mind - he didn’t have to worry about her - but Erik clearly would have a problem with it, and Charles would have a problem if a stranger found a large charcoal-colored wolf running around early mornings.  
  
“Um… I’ll think about it,” he said, and noticed the Moira’s firm eye roll even as she dug out her car keys.  
  
“We have a week Charles, less than that in fact. Hire someone. Also, that paperwork needs to be turned in tonight.” Her voice dropped into the tone that Charles and Sean had come to call the motherly nag. Moira had a knack for kicking them into work with the same gentle shove a mother might use on lazy teenagers. If it had just served to annoy him, Charles wouldn’t have asked her to help him partner the Reservation, but it always worked out for the best. She made him meet his deadlines on time, and actually forced Sean to get some things done around the property.  
  
He nodded his head, knowing that as soon as he returned to the mansion he would lock himself in the study and finish the offending paperwork.  
  
Hank clucked his tongue hesitantly beside him, “If you need help building the pen, I know two guys. Friends of mine... well, one’s a friend. They can help.”  
  
“Really?” Moira spoke up before Charles. “On such short notice?”  
  
“They’re not doing anything else right now, and could use the money.” Hank sounded sheepish but sure as he took out a small notepad with a pen tucked into the spiral and began to scribble something down. “If you call them tonight, I’m sure they’d be willing to help tomorrow or the day after.”  
  
“Sound great.” Charles tried to keep his smile sincere as Hank handed him the sheet of paper. He looked down at it and saw the names _Darwin and Alex_ scratched on the page, alone with a number. “I’ll… give them a call.”  
  
Moira huffed beside him. “You better,” she said before pulling him in for a quick hug. “Don’t forget, paperwork tonight.”  
  
“How could I forget?” Charles returned with a lazy smile and waving the phone numbers in front of her. Her gaze still looked a little unsure but she shrugged her shoulders easily and got into her car.  
  
“Goodbye Hank, thanks again for coming out,” Charles turned to the vet and continued to wave the piece of paper, “and thank you for the contacts.”  
  
“I hope it helps, Professor,” Hank said as he unlocked his car. “Next week then?”  
  
“Next week.”  
  
\---  
  
After Moira left, he made it a point to complete the last of the Mexican Grey’s paperwork. Then there were chores left about the land. He needed to check on the puppies, feed the animals, and fill water buckets. By the time he was done, the temperature had dropped along with the sun, and he hadn’t seen either Raven nor Eric the entire of the evening.   
  
Which was why he was slightly taken back when he retreated to his private study only to find Erik sitting there with an unrecognizable book open in front of him. The man’s attention was already fixed on Charles when he opened the door. The Englishman could only assume it had something to do with the were’s heightened sense of smell.  
  
Charles gave an easy smile that had just the barest hint of tiredness in it. “Erik, to what do I owe the pleasure?”  
  
“I was trying to do you a courtesy and stay out of view for a while,” Erik answered, giving him a very wolfish smile.  
  
Charles half-rolled his eyes at the statement and walked over to the other man. Erik had taken a position in the armchair by the fireplace, the empty chess table standing next to him, along with an unoccupied chair.  
  
The biologist sat down ungracefully, almost collapsing into the well-plushed chair after the long day. Blue eyes lingered curiously on the book in Erik’s lap. “What are you reading?”  
  
“One of your wildlife biology books.” Erik flashed the cover, which showed a vivid shot of the Oregon forests. “I have to say, it’s not very interesting.”  
  
“Then why are you reading it?” Charles asked with a low chuckle.  
  
“Not much else I can do here,” answered Erik with an easy shrug.  
  
Charles’ eyes trailed from the book to the small chess table, “Well, I have a cure for your boredom. Do you play?” he gestured to the table and watched Erik’s intense blue eyes follow his hand.  
  
“I can.”  
  
“The werewolf plays chess,” he almost laughed, already moving his chair closer to the table and noticing Erik maneuver himself into position as well. “I guess to some extent you are only human.”  
  
A low growl interrupted the good natured joke. “Don’t say that,” Erik said, with no serious threat lacing the words. That was something, at least. Charles watched the other man start to take out the chess pieces from the small drawer and set the table up. He didn’t press the issue any more.  
  
Instead he switched it to one of the many more important topics they needed to cover. “I’m going to call for a work crew to come out. I need someone to help build the Mexican Grey’s pen before it arrives.”  
  
He watched Erik’s muscles tense from his jaw line all the way down to his fingers, but the man kept his eyes trained on the setup up of the chess board and said, “Oh?”  
  
“They’re Hank’s friends. I think it will all be fine, but I just wanted to let you know.” He paused, watching as Erik’s brows narrowed in some deep thought but the man didn’t object. It seemed safe enough to continue. “Tomorrow is Sunday, usually it’s just me and Raven on the estate so if you want to…” his hands flailed as he said the next words, “Change, you don’t have to worry about someone seeing you.”  
  
“Someone has already seen me, if I recall,” said Erik, not unkindly and with a small smile. The pieces were in place and all that was left was for Charles to make the next move.  
  
He picked up a pawn and moved it forward. “You haven’t mentioned that phone call you got earlier. I was half afraid that you were hiding because of some bad news.”  
  
“If I had received bad news, I most certainly wouldn’t hide from giving it,” Erik said in all seriousness. The words held the tiniest hint of a threat, but Charles laughed nonetheless.  
  
“No, I don’t suppose you would.”  
  
Erik made his move after a moment, the frown in his brow still present. “You were right in assuming it was my pack,” he said tightly, “but still no news on what we’re going to do about this situation.”  
  
“So you’ll be staying with us for a little while longer?” Charles moved a pawn and tried not to sound hopeful. The idea of Erik staying with them filled him with an anxious sort of giddiness. Raven would be pleased, and the scientist in him hoped that he could learn more about werewolves simply by watching the two interact.  
  
Not to mention the fact that Erik was a fascinating creature in his own right. There was definitely a gray line between animal and man for the Were, and while Charles knew Erik was dangerous (probably more dangerous then the wild animals he kept on the property) he also knew the other man did nothing without reason. And that thought was comforting.  
  
“Unfortunately, yes.” Erik moved a piece, then looked up. Steel-hued eyes locked onto the man sitting across from him, and Charles felt that maybe he had been staring a little too long. Erik didn’t look impressed. “I know what you’re thinking. I can practically smell the scientist in you panting at the idea of having me here a little while longer.”  
  
Charles flushed. “I’m sorry. Really, I didn’t mean to stare.”  
  
“You have questions you want to ask me.”  
  
The biologist didn’t fluster at the accusation. “Yes,” Charles said but quickly added, “nothing too personal. I assume there are things you can’t say.”  
  
“You assume correctly.”  
  
“But I was just wondering if maybe you could turn into your wolf form, so I could see it again.” The look on Erik’s face really was funny, but Charles managed not to laugh outright. The man looked surprised, which was a first, as well as suspicious. Jaw tight but eyes wide, he looked more like a fish than the predatory wolf.  
  
“I just wish to get another look is all. I’ve only ever seen Raven, and I’d love to see another changed wolf.” Erik’s expression still hadn’t changed. Charles’ eyes dropped to the chess board and stared at it. He wouldn’t mention that Erik’s coat pattern looked incredibly unique and that he had never seen eyes like his on a wolf before.  
  
“I’m sorry, Charles, but no,” Erik replied after a long painful pause.  
  
Charles didn’t look up from the chess board, trying not to dwell on the disappointment seeping into his lungs. Charles moved another pawn and Erik made a quick rebuttal. He really shouldn’t have expected Erik to agree, but after the morning incident, he had hoped that the tension Erik wore like a second skin would disappear.  
  
“That’s… fine,” he said after another awkward silence, this time his own doing.  
  
“You understand?” Erik asked - and it did say something that the other man was inquiring, right?  
  
“Of course I do,” Charles said quickly. “Besides, I shouldn’t be greedy. I do get a chess partner out of all of this. Raven doesn’t care much for the game.”  
  
“I’m not really sure if I do either,” Erik answered solemnly, as he made another move.  
  
Charles had to bite his tongue to keep from wondering what Erik might have meant. As it turned out, the Were won the game that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter mentions a few things about reservations and wolves that if your unsure about I'd be happy to answer. Here is some helpful notes otherwise. 
> 
> 1) Quarantine: It mentions that the Mexican Grey is in Quarantine at the moment. Generally before moving an animal a long distance and to a new home they need to under go time in "the Q" to be checked over and let their immune system settle. Charles is going to have Hank look over the wolf as a secondary precaution that is normal.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again everyone for the support and comments. Long chapter is long and I hope you enjoy it.

****  
  
The phone rang four times before the other line picked up. “Hello?” The voice was young, but sounded sluggish. It was obvious its owner had just woken up. Charles glanced down at his watch and remembered that it was just barely 7 o’clock in the morning. Maybe he should have waited.  
  
“Very sorry to bother you so early, but I need to speak to either Alex or Darwin about a job.” He tried to sound as awake and chipper as possible, hoping the feeling would be contagious even across the distance and technology.  
  
Apparently not, it seemed, when it took the stranger on the other end twice as long to gather his wits. “I’m Alex,” he said slowly, “but you should probably talk to Darwin.” Before Charles could thank him, or at least let him know that he understood, he heard a soft shoveling noise over the phone followed by a low sleepy groan.  
  
He waited patiently before the scuffle on the phone picked up and someone new was breathing into the receiver. “This is Darwin.”  
  
“Yes - Hi,” Charles perked up, pleased that the new voice sounded much more… awake then the first. “I’m a friend of Hank McCoy, and he suggested you for a job.”  
  
“Oh Hank,” the man - since it sounded like a man on the other end - hummed in recognition, “Okay, what kind of job did you have in mind? We can do heavy lifting, plumbing, vehicle repairs…”  
  
“It’s a bit of heavy labor, I’m afraid,” Charles apologized, though his heart soared with hope - these two sounded about right for the job. “I run a wildlife reservation and we’re getting a new addition soon. A pen needs to be constructed for him before Thursday.”  
  
“How big of a pen?”  
  
“A little more than fifty yards. You don’t have to worry about the materials. We have all the supplies, and we’ll be willing to pay for what you need to get the job done.”  
  
“Three days?” The man whistled just slightly at the prospect, and Charles felt his hope waver. “That’s a quick job. Will we have help?”  
  
“Well, I can help if you need it,” he spoke up quickly, “and some of my staff may be willing to assist.” Sean came to mind; the boy would like the chance to do something besides computer work, and he was strong.  
  
“Alright, we’ll start tomorrow. Does seven in the morning work for you?”  
  
Charles let out a sigh of relief at the words, pulled out his notebook, and began to scribble things down. “Yes, seven works.”  
  
“Here’s what we’ll need.” Darwin listed off a long list of hardware, as it were it memorized, and as Charles copied it down he noted much of it was already laying around the estate somewhere. There was plenty of limber and wire left over from the last knennel they had built, and the shed was always stocked with tools in case of an emergency.  
  
“And what is the name of our employer?” Darwin asked as soon as he was done prattling off the list.  
  
“Charles Xavier.” He gave his address after introducing himself and heard the scrape of Darwin’s pen as he wrote it down and mumbled to himself. “And I must warn you again, I run a wildlife reservation. We house about ten wolves at the moment.” _Plus_ , Charles thought to himself, _two werewolves_.  
  
“Right.” Darwin didn’t sound deterred. “You don’t have to worry about that, Charles, we’ve worked with animals before.”  
  
That didn’t really surprise him, considering the workmen were friends with Hank, but it still came as a relief. “Thank you for being able to do this.”  
  
“Thanks for the job,” Darwin said, and there was no mistaking that the other man sincerely meant it. “We’ll see you early tomorrow.”  
  
“Yes, I’ll see you then.” Charles dropped the phone onto the receiver with a smile before scrubbing his hands over his face. One more task accomplished. He glanced at his watch again before pushing away from his desk and heading down towards the kitchen. Time to feed the animals.  
  
As he dressed in the usual light flannel jacket and boots, he went over a small mental to-do list. Sundays were the lazier days of the week, since Moira and Sean both had the day off. Sunday was when he would grade papers, prepare for class, and maybe work on his book. Now that the book was done, it freed up a bit of extra time.  
  
Charles supposed he should get some of the tools out of the shed and lay things out for Darwin and Alex. Then he needed to call Logan, a park ranger he’d worked with on numerous occasions, up by the Canadian border. He could get a rough date and a second opinion on releasing Cyclops into the area. It had been Logan who brought the wolf to Charles’ attention in the first place; the man knew his stuff about wild animals and their survival skills.  
  
Charles recalled the weeks he’d spent up at the border studying a pack of wild wolves when he had just started out in the field. Two new members were release subjects, and he was recording how they were integrating back into the pack. Other professionals had told him it would never work out, that the pack would never accept the mated pair since they'd been in captivity for so long. Logan had been the only one to back him up, and reveled when Charles’ two wolves became key members of the wild pack within a month - a record time.  
  
The dogs barked loudly at his appearance, many jumping back and fourth in their anticipation of feeding time. Charles gave Rogue and her puppies their meals first, eager to see how the small family was doing, and then moved on to Cyclops and the Ice Queen. He had just finished pouring the food into the white wolf’s bowl when he heard a small rustle nearby in the bushes.  
  
Raven slinked slowly into view, blinking her bright yellow eyes expectantly at Charles as she did so. He noticed she was panting hard, but he had expected as much and managed to keep his surprise in check at the sight of her.  
  
With Erik around and other humans away, it seemed the werewolves would play.  
  
“Morning, darling,” he smiled at his sister, reaching out a hand for her to nuzzle softly.  
  
The bushes shuddered again and Erik came out in all the glory of his wolf form. He stood just a little ways away, unwilling to come closer to the two siblings, but Charles wasn’t bothered. He was much closer then he’d been the other day, allowing him to get a real look at Erik. He noticed the wolf’s impressive height and build. Definitely a hunter, possibly an alpha male, knowing Erik’s personality.  
  
Charles tilted his head in consideration at the male wolf, and Erik’s steel blue eyes stared back. Behind Charles, the Ice Queen gave a low growl at Raven, followed by crunching as she returned to eating her meal.  
  
Charles affectionately rubbed Raven’s thick fur.  
  
“Ignore her, she’s just used to being the only white wolf around here,” he said, and the werewolf closed her eyes and gave as close to a smile as a wolf could give. “Plus she thinks you’re going to eat her food. Did you have a good run with Erik?”  
  
Raven whined in reply as Charles scratched her ear one last time before standing up again. “I have to finish feeding, but I’ll be in soon and then you can tell me all about it.”  
  
The wolf nodded and obediently stood up and began to stalk away. Erik waited a moment before following her, keeping his eyes on Charles the entire time, until he was finally forced to turn his back. An amused smile stayed on the biologists’ face as he watched the dark-colored wolf.  
  
“I’ll see you soon,” he called after them, “and thanks for not being naked this time.”  
  
Erik’s head swiveled around as if to give Charles an exasperated look before trotting off after Raven. Charles actually laughed at his retreating figure.  
  
\---  
  
Raven had impressed him. The speed and skill with which she’d dashed through the woods on the Xavier land had almost taken Erik aback, but then he remembered. This was her land, her territory. Keeping up with her had only been a challenge because Raven already knew where everything was. A large ditch, a fallen tree, an incredibly steep hill, even a small river.  
  
All the new smells of the forest had been intoxicating. The two werewolves went deeper than the day before, finally hitting a patch of field big enough for them to dash across at full speed. Then  both of their noses caught the scent of a quail and for a short time their run became a hunting game.  
  
Eventually, though, Raven tired out before he did. She still wasn’t used to letting her instincts take over, to interacting with other wolves, and going on hunts. When they transformed back into their human forms in the safely of the Xavier mansion, she beamed brightly at Erik and said, “That was great.”  
  
She brushed at the leaves and twigs that still clung to her body before padding over to the clothes she’d left on the kitchen table for their return. “I didn’t even know we had quail on the property. I mean, I suspected, but I never even considered hunting them.”  
  
Erik snorted in disbelief. “You’ve never hunted?”  
  
“Oh, once, maybe twice, when I was younger and excited. But Charles doesn’t really care for the sight of dead things, or for all the blood I would track in.” She paused while unfolding the pair of sweat pants in her hands to give Erik a sheepish smile. “Guess I’ve gotten rusty.”  
  
“You should try to make time to hunt at least once in a while,” Erik stated. “It keeps your senses sharp and your body in shape.”  
  
“Clearly.” Raven threw a second pair of sweat pants at him without warning and Erik caught them easily, his brows crinkled in confusion. Raven smiled, “You should put that on. I don’t know if Charles can handle seeing you naked twice in two days.” Her smiled turned into a wicked grin, while her words held no room for argument.  
  
Erik made sure she saw the roll in his eyes before he slipped into the sweat pants. Raven herself was dressed only in simple black sweat pants and a tight tank top. It left nothing to the imagination, but Erik supposed Charles would appreciate the gesture of dressing. Even if the sweat pants Raven had given him hung a little low and he felt just as exposed in them as he would be without them.  
  
“So,” Raven was talking again, moving towards the kitchen and picking out key breakfast goods, “Has Charles bugged you about werewolf things yet?”  
  
Erik tried to give her a sharp look, one saying that it was none of her business, but Raven just shrugged her shoulders. Completely unaffected. “He’s always bugged me about it, but I can only tell him so much. I was sure he’d have a field day with you.”  
  
“You shouldn’t have been telling him anything,” Erik reminded her tightly, but the reprimand just rolled off Raven’s back.  
  
“I didn’t know there were rules. Remember?”  
  
“Well, if you must know, your brother understands that I’m not willing to make this situation worse than it already is, and I didn’t tell him anything.” He crossed his arms over his bare chest as if to make a point.  
  
“Oh, I bet he hated that.” Raven’s smile thinned out as she returned and set down a bag of donuts in the center of the table.  
  
“He took it well,” Erik nodded, recalling the disappointed look on Charles face when he’d said no. The man had taken his disappointment in stride, though, hadn’t begged or asked for reason. Like everything else, Charles Xavier had let Erik keep his secrets, and it was just now that he felt a small stab of guilt that he couldn’t possibly repay the man better.  
  
 _Not true_ , he told himself, _you can repay him by keeping him and his sister alive._  
  
Raven nibbled on a frosted donut while looking out the window. “Speaking of brother dear,” she drawled, just as the back door blew open with the strong autumn breeze and Charles stomped into the room.  
  
He looked slightly ridiculous in his coat that was probably a size too large for him. Erik was used to seeing the professor dressed in drab cardigans and khakis, not loose sleep pants with hiking boots. Charles’ cheeks were rosy and bright from the morning chill, and his nose was just a little too red.  
  
He gave them both a bright smile when his eyes settled on the kitchen table, and the clothes they were wearing. “Morning all.” Charles’ voice was bright and awake as he kicked off his boots and hung his jacket by the door.  
  
Underneath the jacket he was wearing a loose t-shirt that looked the same as the previous day’s, but the sight was still unexpected to Erik, who imagined Charles sleeping in silly striped pajamas like an old man.  
  
“I made some tea for you already, Charles,” Raven said helpfully before stuffing a small donut hole into her mouth.  
  
“Lovely, and how was your run?” Charles asked absently as he made his way into the kitchen.  
  
Raven gave Erik an expectant look before dipping into an explanation. “It was great! We went pretty deep into the woods, about seven miles. ”  
  
Erik caught sight of the slight frown that curved Charles’ lips before the professor turned towards his tea. Raven chattered about the various things they came across in the woods with eager excitement while her brother hummed in interest, sipping from his mug gently as he did so. After a few minutes he set down his mug and sighed deeply, “Well, I would love to sit down for a proper breakfast, but I have a bit of a list of things to get done.”  
  
“Like what?” Raven asked, despite the fact that her mouth was fully occupied with food. Erik grimaced at her muffled question, but his ears still perked up at Charles’ supposed “to do list.”  
  
The professor took two quick sips before stating, “We’ll be having guests on the Reservation from Monday until Wednesday. I hired some men to build the Mexican Grey’s area. So I need to check and make sure we have the supplies, then I have some paper grading I’ve been putting off in all the excitement, and of course I still need to call about releasing Cyclops.” He took a deep breath, then inhaled some more of his tea.  
  
Erik watched transfixed as Charles’ adams apple moved with each swallow. Like his cheeks, the brunet’s usually pale neck was a little ruddy from the morning chill. After a mouthful, he pulled the cup away from his mouth, licking his lips happily as his too bright eyes looked around the room.  
  
Finally Charles’ words hit him. “They’ll be here for how long?”  
  
“Two or three days,” Charles blinked at him, “not long. Don’t worry about it, Erik.”  
  
Erik meant to keep his tone firm, but it came out more exasperated as he asked, “Do you know these men?”  
  
His acute sight caught rolling eyes and the pull of the professor’s very red lips. “There’s just two of them, Erik, and Hank recommended them. His word is as good as any letter of recommendation.”  
  
“Hank did?” Raven perked up and looked interested in the conversation once more. “Are these guys cute?”  
  
Erik blatantly ignored her comment and kept his eyes fixed on Charles. “You need to be more careful, Charles. When you said you were going to hire someone, I thought it would be someone you’ve worked with in the past, and only for a day.”  
  
Charles’s lips frowned slightly, as if the brunet had been presented with a puzzle he was struggling to figure out. “Usually we have enough time to put the kennel together ourselves. That’s not really the case this time…”  
  
Raven turned and gave Erik a raised eyebrow, interested in the sudden bickering going on in the Xavier kitchen. The smile stayed on her face the entire time. Erik nearly made a swipe at her. This was serious business, and Charles was blinking his too bright eyes at him in confusion while Raven was beaming like the cat who got the canary.  
  
“They could be spies!” he pointed out, waiting for their faces to fall. Waiting for everything to dawn on them.  
  
Instead both Raven and Charles burst into laughter, Raven nearly choking on her donut and Charles on his tea.  
  
“Spies?” The smaller man gasped, “Erik, you must be joking.”  
  
He did growl this time, a low noise that usually sent members in his pack scurrying. “I’m not. This is serious, Charles. Other Weres know about you, they may send hunters out, hunters who aren’t as _understanding_ as I am.”  
  
“Other Weres, you think.” A tinge of excitement crept into Charles’ voice at the prospect. Erik gave him a sharp look, but Charles simply shrugged, “That would mean Hank knows Weres, well, not that he knows about them, but that they’re more common then I assumed and –“  
  
“Charles, they’ll kill you. Possibly Raven as well.” He kept his voice firm, hoping it would get his point across.  
  
“I understand your concern Erik, and thank you my friend.” Charles regained control over his giggles but the lopsided smile was still plastered on his face. The whole situation still amused him, and Erik wished the college professor wasn’t half way across the room so he could just shake him. “But if these men really were plotting our demise, I doubt they would wait till tomorrow to do so. I asked them to come by today if they could.”  
  
Erik’s mouth opened, ready to snap harsh words, but Charles’ calm, authoritative tone overpowered him. “No argument, Erik, they’re coming tomorrow. And if it turns out they’re trained assassins, I’ll be the bigger man and tell you how wrong I was. Until then, I can’t live my life in fear.”  
  
Erik imagined Professor Xavier used the same tone on his students, because it left no room for argument. Erik huffed and murmured a few choice words under his breath, but it was clear Charles wasn’t budging on the matter.  
  
Despite hearing his low threats of violence and muttering about “stupid know-it-all intellectuals,” Charles beamed. “Thank you. Now, if that is settled, I best get dressed for the day.” Finished with his tea, Charles set the mug in the sink and left with a wink and a wave.  
  
As soon as he was out of range, Erik released a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. All of the tension and built-up anger from the disagreement came out in a heavy exhale.  
  
“You’re just now realizing Charles Xavier’s greatest flaw” Raven smiled as she leaned over the table and sighed, “Two of them, actually. He’s as trusting as a new-born babe, and stubborn as a mule.”  
  
“And you just let him bring whoever he wants onto your land? Your territory?” He couldn’t keep the snarl out of his voice; it happened when people worked his nerves - and Charles Xavier worked his nerves in all the worst ways.  
  
The accusation stirred a reaction out of Raven. Her elegant brows frowned, and her lips puckered thoughtfully. Erik thought she might snap back at him, snarl a snide remark, or maybe just leave. She didn’t do any of those things.  
  
“This isn’t _my_ territory, Erik. If anything, it’s Charles’, and what you need to realize is that maybe my brother is stubborn, naïve, and idealistic, but on this land,” she tossed her blonde hair and looked him square in the eyes, “ he’s the alpha.”  
  
\---  
  
The air outside was still chillier than expected, causing Charles to shiver involuntarily, even through his layers of clothes. He huffed, trying to catch his breath as he shifted the weight of the wooden poles to his other hand.  
  
It had been a while since they’d needed to build a new pen. His muscles had forgotten how heavy the poles could get. He could carry one easily, two with a little more difficulty, but after lugging six already towards the area where small orange flags stuck out of the ground, his limbs felt like limp noodles. Luckily Sean had cleaned out the storage area and lain out the materials in preparation. It was just a matter of bringing the materials to the area. He knew Alex and Darwin would appreciate not having to do the extra work.  
  
He set the two poles in his hands by the chicken wire and paused to catch his breath. Things were a lot easier when Moira or Sean were around. Back in the early days of his career, he’d been in better shape. From hiking into the woods and carrying equipment or animal food. Now, though, his most strenuous work was sitting at his desk for more then six hours. Maybe he should ask Raven to go on a run with him for once, or Erik.  
  
Another shiver shot through him as he remembered Erik standing in his kitchen, skin flushed from the run and sweatpants riding so low there should be a law against it. No handsome half-naked werewolves on the premises - at least before a reasonable time.  
  
Heat started creeping up the sides of his neck before he shook his head once to clear it. Thinking of Erik, thinking of Erik like THAT, was a very bad place to go. Charles was probably the man’s least favorite person in the world, and it was clear that Erik didn’t trust him. The Werewolf probably thought him an idiot, after their discussion today in the kitchen and in his study the night before.  
  
He remembered how he and Erik had gotten along so fabulously in the beginning. Before Erik had revealed his true mission. If Erik had been the human journalist he had originally claimed to be, maybe things could have been different, maybe then they could have at least been friends, but it was clear - Erik was a man who stuck with his own kind. He seemed to have a soft spot for Raven, and his sister seemed to adore the older werewolf, so where did that leave him?  
  
Where would this whole thing leave him once it was done and over with?  
  
 _Dangerous thinking_ , he reminded himself, _and now is definitely not the time for it_. His long list of errands wasn’t getting any shorter. Gathering the material by himself was taking longer then he thought it would, but it needed to be done.  
  
He turned back towards the shed to gather the next two poles when he saw Erik heading his way, and if that wasn’t enough to surprise the breath out of Charles, the other man was carrying three of the six foot long poles with simplistic ease.  
  
Silently, Charles waited for Erik to reach him. Trying not to think too much about the strength it must take to carry three of the wooden poles. Or about how Erik was dressed only in the loose sweater and same low sweat pants from earlier.  
  
He knew he must have been staring when Erik gave him a level look and set the logs down neatly not too far away.  
  
“Erik,” Charles breathed, trying not to sound as bewildered as he felt, “What are you doing here?”  
  
“To be honest, it was exhausting just watching you trek back and forth with these things.” Erik kicked one of the logs to emphasize his point and Charles fought back a blush at the thought that the other man had been watching him struggle for the past forty minutes. Great.  
  
“I figured you could use help,” finished Erik, tilting his head much the same way Charles’ wolves did when they inspected a new obstacle.  
  
“Okay,” Charles said, grateful for the company.  
  
“How much more do you need?” Erik asked, sounding patient and helpful.  
  
“We need 18, so about 7 more,” Charles answered, leading the way to the shed.  
  
There was still an awkward tension between them, but it was clear Erik was making an attempt to act normal around him, and with the Were’s help they would be finishing much more quickly than Charles had anticipated. The other man’s actions were probably as good of an apology as he would get, and Charles would happily accept it.  
  
He hefted two more poles into his arms, as Erik picked up three again. Trying to keep up with Erik was another issue - the man strolled along as if he weren’t carrying about two hundred pounds of wood in his arms. Charles could feel his own arms wobble pathetically as he shifted the weight. He definitely needed to talk to someone about getting into better shape.  
  
The lack of conversation wasn’t much of a disappointment. Charles doubted he could keep up a simple sentence without losing his breath, and from Erik he expected nothing more than silence.  
  
The man set his poles down as elegantly as before, while Charles’ two logs collapsed to the ground in a clatter. He released a heavy sigh as soon as his arms were free. Beside him, Erik’s deep baritone chuckle filled the autumn air. Charles raised a brow at the man, “What?”  
  
“You exercise you brain but not your body, Professor?”  
  
Charles huffed, trying to suppress the heat that threatened to creep over his face, “I’ll have you know I used to be an avid runner. Things have just been a little crazy around here recently.”  
  
“Your sister has picked up running again,” Erik said with a knowing smile, “maybe you should do the same.”  
  
“And run with you?” Charles gave him a quick look and smile. He didn’t know how he expected Erik to respond, probably laugh and shrug his shoulders, but the other man kept his own dashing smile on his lips as he nodded.  
  
“If you’re going to insist on being so trusting of the world, I’m going to insist that you at least get in shape.”  
  
Charles laughed, throwing his head back and wiping his brow from sweat as he continued to look at Erik. “Why?” he asked  
  
The smile on Erik’s face fell just slightly, and he got a familiar lost look Charles remembered seeing the night he and Raven revealed their secret. Erik might have said something, or he might have continued to stare at him. Charles would never know, because at that moment one of the wolves let out a vicious bark that startled them both.  
  
Charles stumbled to the side as he whipped around and saw all the wolves staring off in the same direction, growling and barking up a storm.  
  
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked to no one in particular, staring wide-eyed at the wolves before turning to Erik.  
  
The Were met his worried look and sniffed at the air. Once, twice, three times, and then a slight smile curled Erik’s lips. “A deer. The scent is faint while I’m like this, but it must have wandered close to the pens,” he explained.  
  
“Oh?” Charles had never had problems with wild animals coming near the kennels before, but there was a first time for everything.  
  
The barking didn’t ease at all, although he was sure the deer was probably long gone. Raven’s blonde figure came rushing out towards them quickly at the noise. She looked alert and worried as she asked, “What’s going on out here? Did something happen?” Her head whipped back and forth, looking for any sign of danger.  
  
Erik snorted, “Smell the air.”  
  
Raven gave him a look but did as he instructed. Immediately her eyes lit up, “What’s that?”  
  
“Deer,” Erik answered simply, already moving to take off his sweatshirt. “You said you wanted to go hunting.”  
  
“You’re... going to go after it?” Charles asked, noticing the quick dart of Raven’s tongue as she licked her lips. Excitement visible in every part of her body. She had never hunted on their estate in years, though he remembered her excitement just that morning with the quail.  
  
Raven turned her attention to him, while Erik watched nearby. “Is that okay with you Charles?” She sounded painfully hopeful.  
  
His blue eyes darted towards Erik, then back to Raven when he noticed Erik was waiting for her patiently - already naked. He nodded mutely and put on a tight smile. “Be back for dinner?” he offered as Raven squealed happily and drew him into a hug.  
  
She started to peel off her clothing, as soon as Charles averted his eyes. Erik spoke up from close by, “Can you handle the rest of this by yourself?”  
  
He nodded, “Thank you for the little bit of help. I can manage.” Charles didn’t dare look at the other two to see if Erik heard him. He kept his eyes firmly planted on the ground even when he saw Raven’s sports bra fall onto the grass beside his feet, right by where Erik had discarded his tennis shoes  
  
There was no whoosh of noise as they changed, just the rustle of leaves as two forms darted into the woods. Once he was sure they were away Charles took a deep breath, counted to five, and started gathering the clothes that were strewn about the front yard.  
  
He’d leave them on the kitchen table for when Erik and Raven returned.  
\---  
  
It was thirty minutes before the animals settled down from all the excitement. Charles finally managed to drag all the wooden posts to their designated area and was about to start feeding so he could go in early when they started up again, barking madly and darting around their kennels in euphoric excited.  
  
Charles was more prepared the second time and was even getting used to the sight of stray wolves wandering about when Raven stepped into the open. What he wasn’t prepared for was the red that soaked her normally stainless coat.  
  
He felt his stomach twist involuntarily at the sight, and tried not to think about what so much blood meant. He knew the harsh reality that was wolf hunting patterns; it didn’t mean that he’d acquired a more solid stomach for it over the years.  
  
“I see you got him,” Charles tried to sound bright, and in response Raven licked the little splatters of red on her lips happily. Eyes large and wanting… something. He sighed and looked at the brush where she had come from, “Where is Erik, is he safe guarding your meal?”  
  
She nodded, as much as a wolf could nod, and inclined her head towards the mansion. Charles arched an eyebrow at her. “I’m assuming that you have your dinner sorted out then?”  
  
Raven gave a firm bark and wagged her tail to show her pleasure. Charles tried to keep from sighing, before he noticed a dark head peeking out of the brush not far from where Raven had stepped out. Erik’s fur was too dark to notice any visible blood stains, but Charles knew it was there. The male wolf gave the two of them a hard look as he made a low rumbling growl in the back of his throat.  
  
Charles easily got the message. “I’ll leave some soup on the counter for you in case you decide to chase the meat down with something more smooth. Sound good?”  
  
The she-wolf yipped her thanks before darting after Erik, who easily slunk back into the forest. Charles sighed forlornly, feeling a familiar pang in his chest at the sight of Raven seeming so free among her kind. She was finally doing what she had wanted for years, Erik was giving her something Charles never could, and he was both happy and irrationally annoyed at the other man for that.  
  
The sky was getting darker; the sun was setting earlier and earlier as winter approached and Charles still wasn’t used to the slight change. He needed to finish feeding the animals and make the promised soup.  
  
He made one bowl for himself, and left enough food for two on the stove just in case.  
  
\---  
  
The hallway was quiet as Erik stood in it. The only sound he could make out was the muffled noise of Charles talking to someone on the other side of the door. He took a deep breath, counted to ten, then waited an additional two seconds before knocking on the door.  
  
He heard the same muffled voice say, “Wait a minute,” then more loudly, “Come in!” before pushing the heavy wooden doors open.  
  
Charles was seated behind his wooden desk, phone held up to his ear and hands busy rifling through various papers. Upon his entrance Erik noticed Charles eye him curiously before turning back to his phone call. “No, no Logan, that’s too soon. I can’t come out by Friday, the Mexican Grey comes on Thursday… and when is the next time you’re free? … I suppose I can wait till then. Yeah, I know. Thank you for your help. I need to go, someone just walked in… no, not Raven.” Charles laughed suddenly, looking towards Erik then back down at his desk shyly. “Goodbye Logan,” he said finally then set the phone down.  
  
Erik tried his best not to eavesdrop on the conversation, but there were some things that were beyond even his abilities. His fingers picked up a discarded book, though, and investigated it thoroughly as he asked nonchalantly, “Who was that?”    
  
“A ranger I know who works with wolves,” Charles answered simply, without shame. “What brings you here so late at night Erik?”  
  
His fingers paused mindlessly paging through the book, while his brain scrambled for an excuse. There was so many reasons why he found himself in front of Charles’ office at nearly 11 o’clock. To thank the man for the soup he had laid out, to ask for another game of chess, to verbally apologize for his earlier harsh words.  
  
“I was hoping you would indulge me in another game of chess,” he started out, daring to glance at the professor sitting behind the desk.  
  
Immediately, Charles’ face lit up. “I thought you weren’t keen on chess,” he said while pushing the papers in front of him away and standing.  
  
Erik moved towards the table from yesterday. Their chairs were still in the same positions from their last game, and he took the same one he had occupied earlier while Charles did the same. They easily fell into their respectable roles, Charles setting up the white pieces he had picked yesterday as Erik played black. When everything was in place, glass-blue eyes glanced up at him shyly as Charles asked, “Ready?”  
  
“Your move.”  
  
Slender fingers moved the first pawn forward in a quick decisive movement, and then it was Erik’s turn. “I need to apologize to you… for overstepping my bounds,” he said, eyes firmly on the board in front of him and not on his opponent. Charles’ finger, which had been tapping patiently against the smooth wood of the table, paused.  
  
Erik moved a pawn, and then it was Charles’ turn.  
  
“Don’t apologize, Erik. I understand your concern,” came the prim response.  
  
“Even so, it was rude of me. You’ve been generous with your kindness.”  
  
Charles’ elfish laugh made him stop short of anything else he was going to say. Erik looked up in time to see the professor brushing the hair out of his face and smiling senselessly. His face must have showed his sudden surprise as Charles reached over and placed a reassuring hand on his knee. “I could say your own kindness has been gratifying, Erik.” He said.  
  
The words were startling. He had never been called... _kind..._ before. It was disorienting, especially coming from a human. “Charles-“  
  
“No, really, Erik, I understand how hard this must be for you. Being cooped up here, away from your pack. But Raven adores you, and I do appreciate you-“ he wiggled his fingers meaningfully, “-protecting us.”  
  
“I’m sure Raven would have been fine without me,” Erik said though his voice felt raw as he said the words, “I’m certain she would protect you from anything that would have come. Me, or another Were, if it came to that.”  
  
A rueful smile twisted at Charles’ lips, “I don’t doubt that. Remember the naked gentleman Moira mentioned on the land.” Erik nodded and Charles’ eyes went back to the chess board where he fingered a knight thoughtfully. “Raven and I both stumbled on him when we were feeding the wolves. She got a little too protective about the whole situation.”  
  
Erik couldn’t keep himself from smiling as he asked, “Protective how?”  
  
“She broke his arm to subdue him.”  
  
“Moira didn’t mention that.”  
  
Charles’ smile stayed in place, “No, I don’t suppose she would. It doesn’t really bear mentioning, and I personally don’t care for violence.”  
  
Erik moved another pawn forward, taking one of Charles’ pieces in the process. “Her protective nature shows just how much she cares about you. You should be honored - a Were considers you family.”  
  
At this point Charles’ smile became suddenly rueful. “I suppose, but it is clear there are some things I can’t give her. You’ve never seen the way she looks when we release a wolf into the wild.”  
  
“How does she look?” Erik asked, though he could make a guess.  
  
Charles took a deep breath and leaned back into his chair, looking tired. “Like she wishes she could be that wolf.”  
  
Wariness was coming off Charles in waves. Erik sat back, surprised at the raw feelings form Charles, who always seemed so safeguarded and bright. He felt the need to say something, stop the other man from going down a dark road.  
  
“Charles,” he started, and something about his voice must have revealed his sincerity as he caught the Professor’s attention, “You’ve done an amazing job with Raven. I would have never believed that a human could connect with one of our kind as you two do if I hadn’t seen it for myself.”  
  
Clearly his words came as a surprise. Charles blinked owlishly at him, lips parted slightly as the biologist was at a lost for words - for once. “Erik… thank you,” he said softly after a long pause.  
  
His throat felt dry when Charles didn’t met his gaze. The smaller man had been so kind, not just to Raven, but to Erik as well. He’d finally gathered the courage to say thank you, but had Erik shown any sign of his gratitude?  
  
“Charles, close your eyes,” he said in a calm low voice that felt strange to use.  
  
The confused look on Charles’ face softened to something more amused, and unusual for Charles, he didn’t argue. Closing his pale pretty eyelids and waiting patiently.  
  
Erik stood quietly and stepped away from the chess board before shifting into his wolf form. Usually he undressed before transforming, but in this situation he didn’t have time to do so. So he felt the cotton of his turtle neck stretch around his neck and give room around the abdomen. He heard the rip of his pants just before the clothing gave way. After he adjusted to the heightened senses and the feel of the plush carpet on his paws, he scrambled the rest of the way out of his clothing.  
  
Finally free, he looked up at Charles and saw the man’s elegant brows frowning in soft confusion at the noise. “Erik?”  
  
He padded forward and rested his head on Charles’ knee in response. Immediately the limb under him tensed and he heard a soft gasp escape from the man’s lips. Erik waited quietly, eyes taking in the hesitant twitch of Charles’ fingers. He nudged the leg under him gently to let the other know it was alright, and then he felt the slender fingers he’d been eyeing all night slide into his fur.  
  
Erik sighed into the touch and closed his eyes. He’d never had another touch him like this, never thought of what it would be like to be petted. Strange.  
  
“Oh, Erik,” Charles whispered, sounding shaken. “Thank you.”  
  
He pushed into the touch, and Charles grew a little braver. Scratching a thick tuff of fur around Erik’s withers. Charles’ lean body bent over in his chair so the professor could get closer to the wolf, and Erik felt the light touch of the man’s mouth against the top of his head. The contact was startling, causing Erik to open his eyes and lift his head just slightly in an attempt to look up.  
  
“You’re beautiful,” the Englishman said in awe, and Erik was grateful he was in his animal form, because he wasn’t sure how he would respond to such kind words.  
  
Charles didn’t smell like a human. The scent of the wolves he worked with during the day clung to him like an overpowering cologne. Erik inhaled it, smelling the wood, leaves, and mud from outside, as well as the dust and air fresheners scattered around the mansion. With his eyes closed, he could almost imagine Charles wasn’t a human. With his eyes closed, he could almost admit that it smelled nice.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Once again, thank you everyone for the comments and encouragement. Sorry this chapter took a little longer then the last, but as you can see its another long one- so enjoy! Also its midterms week here soon with spring break and my birthday coming up so the next one will hopefully be out on schedule, but those are my reasons if it doesn't. ;) 
> 
> 2)This story has really snuck up on me in a lot of ways and if you look at the tags you'll notice the newest one. Alex and Darwin are on the scene and they demanded to become fleshed out, full characters who I have big plans for. If the pairing isn't your taste- I apologize. Again, they snuck up. 
> 
> 3) My beta and I read and reread this Chapter and it gave us a hard time. I apologize for any mistakes you all may catch. 
> 
> Enjoy this chapter. Its a lot of talking, and a lot of development (hopefully).

Erik stood by Charles’ side the next morning, watching as an old beat up Chevy truck kicked up dirt on the driveway.  He had met the professor in the kitchen earlier and insisted on being there when the two workers arrived. Charles had given a weary sigh but didn’t protest, which meant he was learning something, at least.

The Professor was dressed once again in his usual drab clothes. Some grey dress pants, and a brown sweater vest over a button-down. He had to leave for the university as soon as the workers were settled, and although the weather for the day was estimated to be the warmest of the week, the still-brisk morning air made the smaller man shiver just slightly. Erik couldn’t help but step closer and offer his own unnatural body heat.

The truck came to a stop in front of them. It once might have been a rich pastel blue color, but years of wear and tear had worn it down to a chipping grey. He spotted two bodies in the front seat, and as soon as the doors opened Erik took a sniff, inhaling deeply.

Not Werewolves. Just the simple musk of human, along with cigarettes and fast food grease.  The driver - the older-looking one, with matching deep-brown eyes and skin - walked around the front of the car and extended a hand to the space between Charles and Erik. “Which one of you is Professor Charles Xavier?” he asked in a mature bass.

Charles reached out and grasped the offered hand in a welcoming shake, “That would be me.”

“I’m Armando Muñoz, just call me Darwin. And this is Alex.”  Darwin pointed towards his blond associate, a kid who looked barely nineteen and hugged the side of the truck as if it were his life force.

Charles freed his hand from Darwin’s grasp and, surprising the Were, clapped Erik on the elbow. “This is Erik Lehnsherr, an associate of mine.”

Associate, Erik thought with a small nod, that’s an interesting way of putting it.

“Let me show you where the kennel will be set up. I’ve already flagged the area for you, so there should be no question about where to put the base poles. And Erik and I set out the materials yesterday, so it should all be there for you,” Charles explained as he led the way to the wolf pens.

“We appreciate it,” Darwin said with a nod.

The wolves were quiet at their approach, since Charles had gotten up earlier than usual to feed them. They were hidden within their kennels, nibbling on their morning kibbles and meat. Erik glanced back at the two boys as they walked on and noticed Alex pointing intrigued looks at the various fences.

Finally they came upon the stack of logs Charles had pulled out the day before. The biologist jumped into an enthusiastic explanation of what the Reserve wanted: Keep the natural woods untouched as much as possible, make sure the wire has no breaks that could harm the animal. The poles needed to be a foot into the ground. Darwin nodded and asked occasional questions, while his partner kept stealing glances at the wolves. Erik’s eyes narrowed at that, but it was clear the kid was just enthralled by being so close to the wild animals.

Charles looked down at his watch in the middle of his detailed instructions and continued, “I have business at the university today, but I should be back by three. If you still need help…” 

Nearby, Erik could hear the soft shovel of feet against gravel and Moira MacTaggart's earnest voice before she and her intern Sean stepped into the distant view. He was the only one to pick up on the short halt in her conversation as her brown eyes landed on him. The woman played ease well though as she strolled up, it didn't take long after for the three men to notice the new arrivals.

"Morning, Charles, who do we have here?" Moira asked, looking at Darwin and Alex fondly before her eyes drifted in Erik's direction again. He shifted his weight to his other foot under her gaze.

"Moira, this is Darwin and Alex, the men Hank recommended. They'll be working on the new pen today."

Moira exchanged handshakes with the men while she introduced herself. "Moira MacTaggart. I help Charles run the Reservation."

"It's awesome here," Alex said, speaking up for the first time. His genuine awe brought a smile to everyone's face.

"This young man is Sean, our intern. He'll be helping you today," Charles went, and Sean gave the expected groan in the background.

"Come on, Prof!"

Darwin just smiled. "The more help the better."

Satisfied with the two workmen, Moira's attention turned back towards Erik, her shapely eyebrows arched in curiosity. "And what are you doing out here, Mr. Lehnsherr?" she purred; the question had clearly been on her mind since she’d arrived.

Charles tensed where he stood, his smile wavering just slightly before he started to say something. Erik beat him to it, though, as he shrugged his shoulders and supplied, "I'm helping as well."

None of the humans around him seemed to expect that answer. Pleasure bloomed in Erik’s chest at the sight of Moira's widening doe eyes and the comical expression on Sean's face. Even Charles appeared startled before nudging the Were's side. "Erik, you don't have to."

"I do," he stated, giving a look that left no room for argument.

Understanding seeped slowly across Charles Xavier’s features. The young professor was beginning to understand how their relationship worked as he nodded his head and thinned his lips. A thrill of electricity surged through Erik’s chest at the gesture. It was a familiar feeling he got anytime he took down an enemy, or subdued a weaker opponent. In this case, he knew, it came from the sole fact that Charles had listened to him without argument. That, and the look in the other man’s eyes. A subdued look, but with the tiniest spark that meant they would discuss it later. Erik smiled to himself at the thought.

Quickly he broke their eye contact just as Charles jumped into a quick conversation with the three younger men. “Sean knows what needs to be done, just ask him if you’re confused about anything. Moira and I will only be at the university for a little while, and we can come home if there is an emergency. Between the four of you, I don’t think you’ll have much of a problem.” Glass-blue eyes swept over the small group and landed on Erik once again.

Darwin laughed and Alex cracked a small smile. “Thanks for the concern, Mom,” the blond joked.

Charles sniffed and tilted his head at the jest, feigning disgust. “Mom?” he croaked, but didn’t move. Moira snaked her hand into the space between his arm and chest and smiled while trying to inch away.

“We’re going to be late Charles.” She chided softly, sharing a look with Sean that the red head smirked at before rolling his eyes.

“Oh right, of course.” Shaking his head, as if trying to become fully awake again, Charles blinked at the group then at the wolves around them- looking as if he rather not leave. “Take care, alright.”

“Go on Charles,” Erik finally sighed, waving a hand as the smaller man was dragged away by his colleague.

Charles blinked at him a few more times, his face a mixture of emotions Erik couldn’t place before the Professor was finally pulled around the corner of the mansion.

Darwin clucked his tongue and turned to look at Erik and Sean with a weary smile, “Is he always like that?”

“Always,” Erik and Sean answered at the same time, before looking at each other with small identical smirks.

Erik was the first to pull away, straightening up and turning back to the pile of hard work that lay in front of them. “Alright boys, let’s get to work.”

\---

Charles had known Moira for years. Years upon years, and intimately, from all the months spent together in the woods observing and caring for wolves.  His friend was smart, beautiful, and as fiercely dedicated to their work as he was. Her only flaw, Charles would have to say, was her acute curiosity.

But then again, Charles was sure people had said the same thing about him.

This knowledge prevented her immediate question - as soon as they were out of sight of the four men setting to work on the kennel - from being a surprise to Charles. “What is an academic journalist doing volunteering to get his hands dirty?” Her grip on his arm had become a little too tight, and her voice held a hushed excitement that Moira usually saved for observing wildlife in the woods.

Charles shrugged his shoulders, trying to come off as unconcerned. If anyone were to see through his and Erik’s charade it would be Moira, and he couldn’t have that. She’d always been adept at reading him like a book, the only person besides Raven who could. And in this case, he was afraid she’d see more than what was on the surface.

“Research, I suppose,” he said, keeping a steady pace to the car.

“Uh huh, research.” Moira gave him a firm look which Charles refused to return. His face was his greatest weakness, and he couldn’t afford to let anything slip through it. Not a hint of the secret he carried for both Raven and Erik, not the touch of attachment he carried only for Erik.

Moira seemed to have come her own conclusions anyway.. “Just don’t act too surprised when it turns out the wolves weren’t the only thing he was researching here.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” he lied, trying to ignore how the thought made his heart flutter rapidly.

In the distance, he could see Raven’s slim form leaning against his old beat-up BMW. His sister was dressed and ready for work, blonde hair pulled into a low pony tail and sporting her diner uniform, a tight shirt in festive purple and green. She straightened immediately at their arrival and looked relieved, but only Charles noticed her lightly sniff the air before holding up her thumb in approval.

Moira moved to the passenger side obediently while Charles went to driver’s seat. Raven subtly blocked his path with a hug. “No wolfy spies from what I can smell,” she whispered into his ear, then pulled back and smiled.

Charles did the same. “I assumed so when Erik didn’t tackle them bodily.”

“Speaking of which, what’s he doing? I thought he would want to keep an eye on you at all times,” She wiggled her brows at him suggestively at the words, “You know, for secret reasons.”

“Apparently, he thinks his attention should focus on the new workmen for the day.” Charles kept his voice low as he flashed a look inside the car. Moira seemed occupied with her Blackberry and he felt assured that the woman didn’t have his sister’s super human hearing.

Raven flashed him a white smile, “You sure you can leave him here alone?”

“I don’t know,” Charles answered honestly, running his hand through his hair as he opened the car door. “We’ll find out when we come back now, won’t we?”

\---

After two hours of digging holes around the perimeter of the kennel, it was time for a break. The musk of human sweat mingled with the smell of fresh dirt. Dark splotches covered every inch of their work shirts, but it was still too chilly to work bare-chested, at least for Alex, Darwin, and Sean. Erik’s body was overheating, already unusually warm from the Were blood that pulsed in his veins. He continued to work in a tight white undershirt.

He was grateful that the two hired workmen, Alex and Darwin, did their jobs without distraction. They chatted and joked quietly with Sean, with Erik occasionally calling out orders. He hadn’t spent much time with Charles and Moira’s intern during his time at Westchester, but the boy was a much better worker then Erik would have originally given him credit for. Apparently Charles’ confidence in him spurred the red head to deep concentration on the job, and when Alex asked polite and pointed questions Sean answered with unwavering knowledge.

“So what’s this kennel for?”

“A Mexican Grey wolf,” Sean said. At Alex’s blank stare he smiled and supplied, “They’re skinnier than normal northern wolves, and are mostly found in Mexico.”

“I get that from the name,” Alex said sharply, but he didn’t look annoyed. “What’s wrong with it, that it’s coming here?”

“Some assholes abused the shit out of it,” Sean answered with sudden venom. His eyes suddenly widened and he looked up as though he expected Charles or Moira to be magically standing nearby and shaking their heads like disappointed parents. He automatically locked eyes with Erik, and the older man just shrugged his shoulders. Sean sighed, “Sorry, Moira and the Prof hate when I cuss like that.”

“No problem, man, you think Darwin and I care?” Alex laughed. “So when is this thing coming again?”

“Thursday.”

“Shit.”

“Shit is right,” Darwin called from the far end of the pen where he was handling the hydraulic hole digger. “And Charles wants this thing habitable by then. So do you think there could be less talking and more working – Alex?”

“Man, you’re killing me.” Alex huffed, but the smile was still plastered on his friendly face.

Erik paused from his own post and turned to Darwin. “The boys should have a couple minutes for a water break,” he suggested, his own body heaving and panting from the work. He and Darwin seemed to have reached the same working relationship that the younger men had, only theirs showed itself in quiet, respectful work while Alex and Sean’s was filled with make-shift songs and questions about wolves.

Erik wasn’t fully convinced that the hired workmen couldn’t be human covers for another Were. Alex’s constant questions weren’t helping matters, either. Looking over the young man,  he saw the eager look in the boy’s deep blue eyes.

Darwin nodded, “Okay, fifteen-minute water break. But when you come back, I want all these holes to be filled with logs by the end of the day.”

“Deal!” the two young men cheered in unison. “Come on,” Sean continued, “we always have some water bottles in the offices. I’ll get some.”

“Do you think I can get a closer look at the wolves?” Alex asked as he trailed behind the red-haired boy. “We didn’t really get a good look before.”

“Of course,” Sean beamed, giddy at the chance to show off more of his job. “I’ll give you guys the quick- ten minute tour.”

The two boys dashed off before Darwin and Erik could even put their tools down. After a moment, though, they followed in the younger men’s footsteps. Darwin’s movements were sure and calm, with long strides that met Erik’s step for step. “So,” the worker sighed in an attempt to catch Erik’s attention. He had it, as they walked towards where he could see Sean had left Alex alone, right next to the Ice Queen’s pen. “What do you do here on the Reservation, Erik?”

“Me?” Erik asked, trying to focus his attention on both the workman in the distance and the one asking him questions. They seemed harmless enough, but whereas Alex’s curiosity was obvious, the reasons behind his interest were unclear. Erik’s couldn’t let his guard down. Not for a second.

For Charles.

“I’m just working.”

\---

When Charles arrived home, he was met with an impressive sight. All eighteen of the logs were in their respected holes, forming the basic frame for the kennel. He blinked and looked down at his watch before looking back and convincing himself that the sight wasn’t just his imagination.

Beside him, Moira made a noise of astonishment. “They sure did a lot.” Raven whistled in appreciation.

He could see four bodies all resting in the small clearing outside of the woods. One body was taller then the others and was unmistakably Erik. As they got closer, he saw Sean was laying in the grass as if passed out, with dirt and grass stains marring his jeans. Alex was drinking from a water bottle while Darwin talked animatedly with Erik, and Erik…

Charles’ steps paused as soon as he got a better look of the man. Dressed only in jeans and a tight wife-beater that was dirty beyond saving, Erik looked amazing. Mouth watering, drool-worthy amazing. In the evening light Charles could still see the sweat that glistened along the Were’s neck, collarbone, and the impressive muscles he’d always suspected Erik had. His peek at Erik’s naked form the other day had een too brief for admiration, but now Charles could take in the view as much as he would like, it seemed.

Of course, Erik was the first to notice their arrival, and when their eyes met Charles felt incredibly guilty for his shameless gawking. He turned his attention on the man standing beside Erik instead, putting on his best smile. “Amazing work today.”

“We had a good deal of help,” Darwin said with a quick appreciative glance at Erik. The taller man just shrugged and Charles felt his own smile widen when the Were looked away. “Tomorrow we’ll put up the chicken wire, and hopefully the rest of the time we can just ensure that the place is safe for the little guy to live in.”

“That sounds great!” Moira chirped with a clap of her hands.

“Yes,” agreed Charles, “why don’t we show you our appreciation? Would you like to have dinner with us tonight?” He felt Erik’s eyes move intently back to him, and met them.

The man wasn’t giving him a look that said outright “no.”

Alex tore his water bottle from his mouth with a wet pop. “Yes!” he said eagerly, so Charles couldn’t help but notice his excitement.

Darwin looked unsure. “If it won’t be an inconvenience...”

“No inconvenience at all,” Raven said, pushing her way forward. She had told Charles in the car how excited she was to the met two of Hank’s friends. Mostly because Hank McCoy wasn’t known to have a lot of friends, but also because she hoped to squeeze some information about him out of them. Her eyes were firmly planted on Alex as she strolled up.

“Our home was made for guests to just drop by.” She flashed Erik a not-so-subtle grin that Charles was sure Moira would notice. “You can all clean up, and we’ll get started on dinner right away.”

“What?” Darwin asked with a raised brow. “A mansion like this doesn’t have a maid to do the cooking?”

“Nope,” Raven’s charm was on full swing as she flashed the men a bright smile. “That’s why we have Sean!”

\---

The days kept getting shorter as winter came closer. Charles had barely ushered everyone into the house and laid out the food for dinner - which Moira had volunteered to help cook - when he realized it was past feeding time for the wolves.

He turned to the kitchen table, where Sean was drumming his fingers mindlessly while Alex sat across from him looking tired. Raven and Erik had disappeared to freshen up before dinner. Erik needed it after the day’s work, but Charles suspected Raven was just trying to impress the new arrivals. Darwin had gone to wash up as well. Alex, unsurprisingly, had opted out.

“Sean,” Charles called as he headed for the coat rack by the door. “Come out and help me feed the animals will you? It’ll go quicker.”

“Sure, Prof,” the drumming fingers stopped as Sean pushed away from the table. “Hey, you know how it would go even faster? If Alex helped.”

Everyone in the room turned to look at Sean; Alex suddenly looked more awake and Charles blinked as he tried to process the words. “Well,” he said slowly, “we could always use the help. Alex, is that alright with you?”

The blond pushed away from the table quickly and stood. “Its more than okay with me,” he said quickly.

Charles plucked the spare coat off the rack and threw it at the young man. “Alright then, come along.”

\---

Alex trailed behind him while Sean ran to the shed and started dishing out the food.  He helped yank at the long garden hose that Charles toted in his hands, and made sure there was enough length to reach the farthest pen, which belonged to the quiet Cyclops.

The wolf blinked at them as Charles unkinked the hose and let the water flow into the bucket. When he glanced over, Alex was staring at the wolf in quiet awe. “He’s so big.”

“Yes,” Charles said looking back at the wolf, who hovered by a large boulder. Close enough to be admired, but not close enough to be friendly. “I think he used to be an alpha male in his old pack.”

“What happened?” Alex asked, moving to cling to the wire fence before Charles shook his head in disapproval.

“A hunter got him on a state reservation, took out his eye.”

“Isn’t that - like, illegal?”

“On government-owned soil, yes,” Charles answered with a nod and a smile. He glanced to the side and saw the look of awe was still on Alex’s face. “He’s magnificent, isn’t he?”

“Totally.”

The professor couldn’t help but snort at the word and smile, “I got into this business because of wolves like him. People said he wouldn’t survive, but he did, and soon we’re hoping to release him back into the wild. They’re amazingly tough animals.”

Alex finally took his deep blue eyes off the animal and looked in Charles’ direction, “You’re releasing him?”

“Yes, hopefully in the next couple weeks here. But things right now are… busy.” Charles gave a weak smile and kinked the hose up again. “Did you get to see all the animals?”

“Sean gave me a quick tour earlier.”

“Well, now you’re going to get a more in depth look around.”  They started towards the next pen, Ice Queen’s. Alex shot a quick look back at Cyclops  that Charles didn’t miss before following, gently lifting the hose and giving Charles the slack he needed as they went.

\---

“And what about these two?”

“Saruman and Gandalf? They can’t be released, simply because of their age,” Charles said over the rushing sound of water filling the wolves’ two metal buckets. “Gandalf has bad arthritis, and neither can hunt. In the wild they probably would not have lived to be this old. So right now, we just concentrate on giving them a happy retirement.”

Alex smiled fondly at that, and his grin grew wider when Gandalf limped over and began to lap at the water. The wolves from the zoo weren’t as weary of humans as their wild brethren, but Saruman was still on the shy side. Alex just seemed happy that a wolf finally came to the gate for him.

They were lingering a little too long on the last pen; Alex was reluctant to leave and Charles never tired of answering enthusiastic wolf questions. They hovered by the elder wolves’ pens, and Charles allowed the hose to run off into the grass for a bit to buy more time. The slam of the back door didn’t come as a surprise, but it reminded him that dinner was waiting for them and he’d invited Alex along to make things go faster, not to fool around outside.

Both men turned and Charles tilted his head at the sight of Erik walking up to them. The man was barefoot, and clean. His hair looked sleek and wet from a shower, and he wore faded jeans and a white polo that fit snugly over the Were’s fit chest.

“Moira wanted me to tell you dinner is ready,” Erik huffed. He didn’t look pleased about being the messenger, so Charles nodded and kinked up the hose again.

“Right. Thank you for the help, Alex, will you run and turn the water off? Then you can go inside, Erik and I will be there shortly.”

“Okay, Prof,” Alex said, picking up on the nickname Sean always called Charles. He gave the young man an amused look, to which the blond smirked and ran off, playfully clapping Erik on the bicep as he ran by. Erik merely grunted in response.

Finally, for the first time since that morning, they were alone.

Charles moved first, starting forward in Erik’s direction, hauling the garden hose behind him. “Sorry we took so long.”

Erik’s expression didn’t lighten. “What did I tell you about being careful?”

“Well, I assumed both Alex and Darwin had passed the test when you didn’t make a scene earlier,” Charles stated, raising a interested eye brow. Erik’s words caught him off guard. “I thought they weren’t Weres.”

“They’re not, but you can never be too careful. Alex’s interests are a little suspicious…” Erik mused. “A Were could easily have hired them, knowing that we’d allow humans on the land.”

“Ah,” Charles said slowly, carefully considering the Were’s words. He noticed, though, that Erik’s body wasn’t as tense as it had been in the past. Meaning his suspicion wasn’t too concerning. “So what do you suggest we do about it?”

“Keep a closer eye on them, of course,” Erik snorted as if it were the obvious choice, “And I know exactly how - you’re going to offer them a job here at the mansion full time.”

“I- What?” The suggestion wasn’t in the least what Charles was suspecting. “I don’t understand.”

Erik took a patient breath. “This way we can keep an eye on them at all times. If they are working for a Were they won’t get in contact with him without my knowledge. I’ll be able to sniff out another of my kind, if they do visit one, and I can listen in on their conversations.”

He wasn’t going to think about the way Erik spoke about breaking common privacy rights as if it were an everyday occurrence. Charles mashed his lips together as he rolled the idea around in his head. “Wouldn’t you already smell their… boss, if they had one?”

Erik shook his head, “Not if they met with him long enough ago. About four days and I wouldn’t be able to pick up on another wolf’s scent. A smart Were would realize that and tell them to wait.”

“But they couldn’t possibly have known that I would call them.”

“I talked to Darwin,” Erik started, “they don’t have much money and have been barely scraping by for the past couple weeks. If someone did their research they’d find out that Hank McCoy knew they were desperate men, and that would be their in.”

Either Charles greatly underestimated the lengths people would go for the sake of a secret, or Erik greatly overestimated it. Either way, the idea of Darwin and Alex being used as pawns in this mess made his stomach churn.

“Alright,” he finally agreed, “I’ll extend the offer to them tomorrow.”

Erik’s eyes narrowed at the word “tomorrow”, but the Were didn’t say anything more as he bent down and picked up the access hose that trailed behind Charles.

“So,” the professor started, turning to give the man a cheeky grin, “sounds like you made some friends today.”

“Don’t be condescending, Charles, it doesn’t suit you.” Erik said, but for once he didn’t look exasperated. His lips quirked in his rare small smile that Charles didn’t see enough of. “Besides, it’s for our protection.”

Our protection. Charles didn’t know who Erik meant specifically, but his heart warmed at the thought that maybe the man meant him as well. Maybe Erik was finally warming up to him. 

They began to coil the hose in a tight circle as Charles said, “Alex genuinely seems to care about the wolves, though. I think he really liked Cyclops. Maybe if he agrees to sign on here he can help around the reserve. God knows Sean will love the addition.”

“Alex is a hard working boy - for a human,” Erik agreed, “both he and his mate.”

The last word made Charles freeze in his tracks. “What?” he breathed. “Did you just say mate? What mate? I thought you said they weren’t Weres.”

“They’re not,” Erik said, laying down the last piece carefully and then stepping towards the back door where he could see Raven looking out at them through the glass. “But I smelled sex on both of them the moment they arrived. And after watching them all day,” he nodded to himself, “definitely mates.”

“Who?” Charles pressed, not believing the words coming out of his friend’s mouth.

“Alex and Darwin.”

“What? Wait, no, Erik - are you serious?” Charles asked, but the other man was already at the door. The Were turned to him, already pulling the door open so that the smell of stew and meat wafted out of the house, then smiled as if he was delighted to once again have a secret.

“Later, Charles, but right now I’m so hungry I could eat a deer.” He laughed, probably at the wide-eyed look that Charles couldn’t seem to wipe off his face.

\---

The chess pieces stayed in their case that night, but Charles pulled out a fifteen-year-old scotch and gave Erik a smile the man couldn’t refuse. In the past the Were had never had the time to sit down and enjoy a glass of liquor with friends. Not even with his pack mates. At home in Miami, Erik considered himself part of the team, but others still considered him a loner. Always gone on one of Shaw’s numerous missions, or locked in his room to catch up on much-needed sleep before starting another hunt. Over the years, Erik had learned there was only so much he could take of people. Even of his own species, and especially the company of humans.

Charles, however, he couldn’t seem to get enough of. The quiet times they spent in the study were something he looked forward to now. The growing familiarity of the smells, the muffled sound of the wolves outside, always howling and always in the background.

A successful dinner following a productive day seemed to put Charles in a bright mood. The man’s red lips stayed turned up in a smile, and his bright eyes kept glancing out of the room excitedly, never lingering on one place too long. Erik couldn’t tell if it was a nervous habit or if it was just due to the adrenaline and alcohol, but he liked it. Charles looked like a wild animal himself in all his giddiness.

The type of animal Erik would enjoy chasing after.

“That went well,” Charles was saying after a sip from his tumbler. “Again, I appreciate you helping the boys. I’m sure your inhuman strength was put to good use.”

Erik chuckled but didn’t agree with the statement. “And how was your day? Did you officially cancel the book?”

“I did indeed,” Charles nodded, trying not to look too disappointed. But his eyes did droop slightly at the mention of his failed project. “I got asked a lot of questions about it, but nothing I couldn’t handle. The students didn’t seem happy that I won’t be out for very long to promote it. I think they were hoping for a light class load,” he laughed lightly, remembering their faces, “but then I told them about Cyclops’ expected release and all was right in the world.”

“You’re expecting to do that when?” Erik asked, unable to avoid worrying about the trip. Charles Xavier was running his nerves ragged, with his friendliness to complete strangers and his habit of planning trips when he was supposed to be under house arrest.  So far they’d managed not to run into trouble, but eventually their luck would run out.

Charles made a face that didn’t look at all concerned. “Don’t worry about that Erik, it’s a couple of weeks away at least. I need the Mexican Grey to get settled first, and by that time I expect this whole thing will be over.” He took a large swig of his scotch, then sighed.

“Speaking of which…” Charles started, his voice suddenly getting lower, softer. The way Erik remembered it sounding the other night. “Have you heard from your pack yet?”

Erik gritted his teeth at the reminder. During the entire long day of work he hadn’t heard a peep from his phone. He’d checked after showering, even tried Shaw’s number again, but still nothing. He’d never been out of contact with his pack for this amount of time. It was unnerving. All his instincts told him that something was wrong. “No,” he said, and took a sip from his own glass.

Charles nodded. He’d expected that answer. “Should we be worried?”

“Yes,” he said as calmly as possible. We should, his mind finished. Because the longer Shaw didn’t get back to him, the bigger danger they were in - himself, Raven, and Charles.

He hated the effect his answer had on Charles. All the excitement Erik had enjoyed seeing drained out of him. The professor’s long fingers curled around his tumbler in a desperate grip as he stared into the fire.

“You’ll be fine, Charles,” Erik found himself saying, unable to take the quiet that had fallen over the study. He was used to the noise of their conversation now - the barely audible hum Charles made in the back of his throat when pleased, and the roll of the man’s crisp accent.

Bright blue eyes looked directly at him, and slowly - slowly - Erik watched the light return to them, and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He wondered if it showed on his face; usually he was so good at masking emotions, but Charles blushed and tried to smile again. “So - Darwin and Alex, huh?”

“What?” Erik asked, licking his lips.

“You said you’d tell me later. Why did you call it mating?” Charles got that look in his eye that Erik was beginning to realize meant he’d found a new item for his curiosity to investigate. “They’re humans, not wolves.”

Erik’s lips pulled back in a smile at the comment, “Wolves mate for life, as do Weres,” he started. “I forget humans aren’t very picky when sleeping with someone, but it just comes naturally to refer to your lovers as mates, and those two are lovers.”

“Did Darwin say?” Charles asked, though his blush deepened.

“He didn’t have to. Alex reeked of him, and he reeked of Alex.”

“They do live together.”

Erik’s smile turned wicked, “Yes, but the smell of sex is very different from the smell you get from just being in someone else’s company.”

Charles’ eyes got large briefly. “Oh,” he said quietly, and traced his fingertip along the rim of his glass, contemplating his next question. “So, are homosexual relations allowed in werewolf mating?”

Interested threatened to flicker across Erik’s face as he asked, “Are there homosexual relations among wolves?”

“Generally, yes,” Charles said with a nod and not missing a beat. “Omega wolf males often perform homosexual acts. The theory is that it builds better pack dynamics. The Alpha, however is generally heterosexual, to reproduce. So maybe it’s all situational.”

“Interesting points, Professor Xavier,” Erik said with a smirk. It had been a while since Charles had prattled on about his obsession in his company. The smaller man seemed to have noticed as well and gave a apologetic look.

“To answer your question,” Erik continued, “it works a lot like that. Male werewolves who are not Alphas can mate with another male. I’ve heard of alphas doing that only in a few instances, but I suppose it can happen. Generally, the thought of reproduction spurs us to mate with a female.”

“What about humans?” Charles inquired, “Can you mate with a human? Male or female?” He licked his lips nervously before adding, “You know, for reproductive reasons.”

Erik frowned. The topic wasn’t his favorite, but nonetheless he found himself answering. “It depends on the pack. My pack forbids it.” He watched carefully for any reaction the words might bring from Charles. The Professor stopped licking his lips and brought his lower lip between his teeth as his brows frowned. Erik pushed forward, “Some packs on the West Coast allow it, but in those cases the humans never know exactly what their mate is.”

“And can the human produce a Were child?” Charles questioned.

“Yes, the gene is usually passed down from the Father’s side.”

“I wrote that in my book.” Charles looked breathless, lips glistening and face slightly pale.

Erik nodded, “You wrote a lot of things in your book that were true.”

“You don’t like humans mingling with your kind though, do you Erik?” Charles asked quietly, almost too quietly. As if he were approaching a dangerous animal, or a dangerous topic. Both, in a sense, were true.

Erik couldn’t look at the man in front of him. “I... didn’t,” came the answer after a long moment.

I’m not sure if I do anymore.  I’m not sure what you’ve done to change my mind.

Charles took a deep breath beside him, but his face was unreadable, and Erik couldn’t look at it. “Why?” the brunet asked.

“A long time ago, our kind was almost wiped out, because we allowed humans to know about us. After that, we let your kind think we were all dead, and later that we were nothing more than a children’s story. I don’t believe people have changed in that time, Charles. If humans knew about us, we’d be hunted again. They consider us monsters and always will.”

Out of the corner of his eye Erik saw a head shake back and forth. “Erik,” Charles started, and Erik realized for the first time how much he enjoyed the way the English man said his name, “I know there are people out there who would love you for what you are. Everyone I talked to about my book loved your kind, because they think Werewolves are special, not monstrous.”

Without hesitation Charles reached out and loosely grasped Erik’s free hand. The Were blinked at the physical contact, staring down at the two touching limbs (one smaller than the other) with a confused look. Beside him he heard Charles laugh, “Your hand is as human as mine. We both have the same number of toes, ears, hair in various places.”

“All of that sounds great, if you leave out the fact that I grow a tail,” Erik croaked. “We’re different, Charles.”

“But right now you look just as human as the rest of us,” Charles insisted unwaveringly. “For decades your kind has been able to pass as human - I think that speaks for itself that you’re not monsters. And other people will see that too.”

For some reason, Erik suddenly felt vulnerable, breakable. He’d known for the past couple days that the man in front of him was slowly chipping away at everything he’d been raised to believe. That humans could never understand Weres. They would only kill Weres. Hate them.

But Charles understood him, understood Raven, and all the wolves he protected on the Reservation. Charles would never harm a fly. Charles looked at him in a way no one else ever had, and Erik might be looking right back.

“What are you doing to me?” he breathed out slowly, feeling control slip.

Charles pursed his lips in confusion. The look only lasted a second before Erik leaned in and brushed it away with his own lips.

There was still distance between them, the touch of their lips was brief, before Erik started pulling back. Charles made a disappointed sound at the movement, and that was all it took for Erik to stay. For him to apply a little more pressure and for Charles to open his mouth.

A growl of satisfaction left Erik’s throat before he even knew it was there. His tongue darted in as if it owned the mouth, explored every inch of the wet cavern that tasted like scotch and tea. He’d kissed people before, but never had he reacted the way he was with Charles. Never had his instincts demanded to take over. His nostrils flared and he inhaled the scent of the other man. Charles usually smell attacked his senses, sending fire from his nose to his brain then down to his toes.

A small logical voice in the back head of his screamed to stop while he still could. Soon he wouldn’t be able to turn back. But as soon as Charles shifted in his chair to get a better angle he knew.

He was already past the point of turning back.

\---

He couldn’t believe that it was happening.

He couldn’t believe it wasn’t stopping.

… and then it stopped.

Erik pulled back and Charles finally realized his lungs desperately needed air. The first breath he took was shaky, he looked into his glass and the remaining scotch there while Erik settled back into his chair.

“That was…” he started, unsure what he was going to say, but Erik spared him the trouble. The Were stood quickly, leaving his own glass of liquor on the side table. Charles blinked in surprise and looked at the other man, noticed the slightly pained expression on Erik’s face and the pale coloring. “Erik?”

“I need to go for a run,” Erik said, already moving towards the door.

Charles found himself on his feet in a second, “A run? At this time?” After that?

“I have to,” Erik said, and he sounded breathless. His body stopped just before the door, where he shifted from foot to foot. The tension was back in his body, nervous and buzzing so that Charles could feel it even from where he stood. “After… something like that, my… instincts are on fire. I need to go work this off.”

“Work it off?” Charles mind tried to sort through the phrase.

“Charles, please.” He had never heard that tone of voice from Erik before, something desperate. Almost broken. It shut him up immediately. “I need to think about this, before anything else happens. And if I stay in this room with you, smelling like that, I’ll do something we both regret.”

“Erik,” he tried, but the attempt was weak. It sounded as broken as Erik.

The other man turned around and mustered a weak smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back.” And with that Erik was gone, leaving Charles alone in the study with two nearly empty glasses of scotch.

When he went to bed, the glasses were empty.

\---

Charles couldn’t sleep. His room felt too empty, the mansion was too quiet, and even outside he couldn’t hear the usual night howls of the animals. He felt as if the world had pressed the “silent” button, just to allow him to be alone with his thoughts.

He’d made such progress with Erik. The fact that Erik had answered his questions had been almost a dream come true, and then they were discussing, and that turned to… kissing.

But still there was so much he didn’t know about Erik and his kind. He still didn’t fully understand why the other man had to run away, but Erik seemed to have a reason for everything. Charles could still feel the Were’s lips against his own. He had felt Erik’s initial hesitation, and then the possessiveness that had taken over.

Erik wanted him, and Charles wanted him back. Fiercely. But there was so much he didn’t know, so much that needed to play out.

And now all he could do was wait.

On cue a howl broke through the night. It came from the front of the house, where his window looked out from, and where none of the wolves were kept. He knew it was Erik, letting Charles know that he was still here.

The howl came again, harmonizing with a second. Raven.

Good, Charles thought as he snuggled into his pillow, he’s not alone.

And with that, Charles was finally able to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Sorry this took SOOOO long. This chapter was the biggest pain in the ass to write (I don't know why) also it was Spring break, and my University is in the finals for national Basketball. So there has been a lot of distractions for both me and my beta. 
> 
> 2) Speaking of which, my Beta is still trying to do a second sweep of this, and I reread as much as I could stand, but if there are any more mistakes (and I'm SURE there are) I really do apologize. 
> 
> 3) Hopefully its worth the wait, also notice the content rating has changed. There will be graphic smexing coming up in this chapter and later chapters. 
> 
> Thank you all for being such great readers, commenters, and kudo-ers.

  
Erik woke up the next morning to the sound of birds chirping and the sun shining, and feeling completely exhausted. The bed sheets were tangled around his feet, while the covers had been kicked completely off the mattress onto the floor. As he shifted his body with a groan he felt the soft fabric rub against his naked skin and the pleasing stretch of his muscles waking up. A low groan, almost a growl escaped him as he moved, his limbs flopping uselessly by his side. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d run so much. Not even during pack hunts had he felt so much anxiety and adrenaline pulsing through his veins, forcing a quick shift.  
  
He’d never been so careless. He had barely made it out of the mansion before changing. His clothes were probably still in the kitchen somewhere. If someone had stayed late on the Reservation, his cover could have easily been blown. His eyes narrowed at the thought, then shut as he decided to give it attention later.  
  
A soft knock came from the door, and for a brief millisecond Erik panicked. He wasn’t ready to face Charles -- as soon as the he saw the other man’s bright face, flushed from the morning breeze, he would lose it. Just laying in bed he couldn’t stop thinking about the feelings that had erupted in him so suddenly the other night. He couldn’t stop thinking about their kiss, and the eager noises Charles had made. The _interested_ noises Charles had made.  
  
He didn’t answer the knock on the door, but it opened nonetheless. “Still in bed?” he heard Raven’s amused voice ring through the room. A nonsensical noise escaped his throat, maybe another growl, and he heard her feet skip across the carpet before he felt something soft thrown against his bare skin. His clothes, Erik realized, still not opening his eyes.  
  
“You left these down stairs,” Raven berated. “Are you going to be getting up anytime soon?”  
  
“Soon,” he huffed, voice sounding gruff and exhausted even to his own ears.  
  
“Charles is outside with Alex, Darwin, and Sean you know. It’s nine o’clock.”  
  
Erik’s body was up in a flash, the movement quick but jerky. He’d never slept past six, not in years. He really must have been exhausted. Still… Steel-hued eyes sought out Raven and found her by the bedside, her pink lips pulled back in a knowing smirk. Erik tried to give his best glare. “Are you lying?”  
  
“Nope,” she chirped, far too awake for someone who had been out just as long as him. Well, Raven had found him deep in woods after he’d already been running for an hour. She’d kept pace for a bit, then watched from a distance before they finally returned to the house together in the early hours of the morning. By that time Erik had been panting hard, barely able to catch his breath while Raven looked no worse for wear. “It really is nine o’clock, and Charles is starting to get worried. He keeps shooting glances up here.” Her smile widened. “You going to tell me what happened last night?”  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His glare held up but so did Raven’s grin.  
  
“You leave the study all in a huff to go for a spontaneous wolf run?” Raven’s green eyes rolled dramatically. “Yeah, nothing happened. Did Charles bother you with Were questions again? I already told you he’s not going to stop.”  
  
“We talked last night,” Erik said. That was all he was going to reveal, but his stomach clenched pitifully at the memory and Raven _was_ a fellow Were, so he found himself admitting, “About Alex and Darwin… about mates.”  
  
“Oh,” Raven perked up immediately. “I knew they were together. Did you smell the sex on them? Because I did and…” Her voice stopped abruptly. “Oh… OH!” The brightness fell from her face for a moment before returning ten times brighter than before.  
  
“What happened?”  
  
Erik grimaced at the squeal in her voice. The young woman made as if to jump on the bed before he held up a hand.  
  
“We just… kissed,” he said with a heavy breath.  
  
Raven made another excited noise, “I _knew_ it. I knew he liked you, and I suspected that you liked him.” Erik could practically see her thoughts, moving at the speed of light. She was nearly babbling in excitement, until her voice got softer again and her brows narrowed. “Wait, then why did you leave?”  
  
Erik sighed. He’d seen this coming. Raven was protective of her brother, protective enough that she’d broken a man’s arm. If she had been part of a real pack she easily could have been an alpha female. Giving birth to happy young Weres and serving as a powerful protective force for her extended family.  
  
“I’m here for a reason, Raven, or have you forgotten? The only reason I haven’t left yet is that my pack hasn’t contacted me yet with their decision. I’m going to have to go back to them eventually.”  
  
Raven pursed her lips, looking perplexed. “I don’t understand. Why can’t you be with Charles _and_ your pack? Surely you can have a long distance mating… thing.”  
  
“Because, Raven,” his fingers came up to massage the bridge of his nose - he didn’t like explaining himself but the girl deserved it, “in my pack it is forbidden.”  
  
“Why?” pushed Raven. He gave her a look that clearly stated he wasn’t going to answer that and Charles’ little sister pouted. “I still don’t understand. Can’t you just start a pack of your own or something?”  
  
He rolled on his side to avoid the look she was giving him. “Its not that easy,” he said, trying to keep the softness out of his voice, but around the Xavier siblings that was getting harder and harder to do. “I’d need permission from my pack master, and that is _not_ going to happen.”  
  
A speck of pride blossomed in his chest when the blonde withheld the “Why?” Erik knew she was dying to ask, although he did hear her snort indignantly. “Whatever,” Raven said. “Just come outside eventually okay, and at least tell Charles everything that’s going on in that thick head of yours, got it?”  
  
He waved his hand in the air to show she was dismissed and wasn’t at all surprised when he heard the bedroom door shut with an audible slam. _Definitely an alpha female_ , he felt the thought curl around his mind as he lounged across the mattress once again.  
  
His body still felt achy and sluggish and all he wants to do is lay down for a little while longer. Regain the energy he lost the night before, but already his body is buzzing from what Raven said. Charles is already outside with the others, and pure instincts tell him he needs to be out there with the other man.  
  
Kissing Charles had been a bad idea. It was all his body needed to recognize a potential mate. Never had Erik’s instincts reacted like this to another person. He’d had plenty of sexual partners in the past, all Weres, none he had mated, and never had his instincts actually reacted back. Erik prided himself on his control, he wasn’t mated because he didn’t want to be. Mating meant being tied down with someone, in someplace, and that thought alone made him feel like a domesticated dog.  
  
But he’d already made a lot of sacrifices for the Xavier siblings. More than he had ever done for anyone else. If Erik really wanted to, he could blame it on that, but he knew the real reason.  
  
“God dammit,” he grumbled loudly, as every nerve in his body screamed that he needed to get up. Someone was outside and waiting for him, and then Erik knew he was in big trouble.  
  
\---  
  
“You are not serious,” Darwin stated matter of factly while water dribbled down Alex’s face as the blonde stared.  
  
Charles shook his head, “No. I am always looking for more help on the Reservation. Maintenance for the other kennels is going down, and it would be great if we could get some extra pens built in case of emergencies.” He gave what he hoped was a convincing smile and tilted his head just slightly, “I’d pay you of course, and you’re welcome to stay here at the mansion. We have plenty of rooms, a entire wing in fact.”  
  
“You want us to stay here?” Alex asked clearly in disbelief.  
  
He nodded, feeling the wind tousle the hair in his eyes at the movement. “Of course. And Alex, if you would, Sean and I could help you handle the wolves directly.”  
  
The blond visibly brightened at that, but Darwin still looked unsure. “Did Hank tell you…”  
  
Charles shook his, “Hardly. I just thought this would be mutually beneficial for everyone.”  
  
“We’ll need to talk about this.” Darwin said flashing a look with Alex. The younger man nodded but his mouth was a straight line of determination that told Charles he was rolling the offer around in his head.  
  
Charles tried not to let his smile waver, Erik would not like that answer but it was understandable. “Take as long as you need.”  
  
Both heads nodded slowly, when Darwin’s eyes shifted to something by the house Charles knew in an instant what it was. “Well no wonder you’re asking us to help full time with people sleeping in around here.” The dark skinned man teased, a smile tugging at his lips.  
  
Charles turned and saw Erik, dressed in dark jeans and a long sleeved shirt stalking towards them. The Werewolf looked tired and grumpy but didn’t say anything in response to Darwin’s teasing. The sight of him made Charles’ heart pick up tempo as it thumped against his chest. He tried and failed not to noticed Erik’s obvious absence, but just seeing the other man calmed him somewhat.  
  
A short laugh escaped him at Darwin’s comment as he said, “So you see what I have to work with. Please consider my offer.”  
  
“We will Professor,” Darwin said with Alex nodding in the background. As Erik got closer the workman grinned, “We’ll better get back to work if you want this pen done by Thursday.”  
  
  
Charles nodded, the weather had been cooperating with them so far, being as pleasant as fall weather could be in New York, but storms were predicted for the evening giving the air and the wind a bit of bite. They would have to work hard to get most of the wires up before the rain hit.  
  
He watched as both men returned to the work area, where Sean was taking a break with no one there to harp on him. The red head was standing, drinking from his bottle of water, and trying to look as if he wasn’t spying on their conversation. As soon as Darwin and Alex returned he threw his bottle to the ground and scrambled to pick up the wire cutters.  
  
Gruff baritone laughter came from behind him as Erik slinked up. “Do you think its wise to trust Sean with those clippers?”  
  
“Well our first choice for cutting the wires was busy sleeping the morning away.” Charles answered flashing Erik a charming smirk, “How was your run last night darling?”  
  
Erik’s mouth twitched into the smile he tried so hard to hide at all times. “It was… exhausting to say the least, and how was your morning Charles?” the Were’s eyes glanced his way as he asked, “I assume you talked to Alex and Darwin.”  
  
“I did.”  
  
“And what did they say?”  
  
Charles shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “As can be expected, they want some time to consider the offer. They both have their pride Erik, and I know you would be suspicious if a man like me made an offering like that out of the blue.”  
  
Erik nodded but still asked, “When will they give you their answer.”  
  
“I told them to take their time.” Charles answered starring the taller man down, daring him to challenge.  
  
Erik gave another exasperated sigh, “Charles…”  
  
“Erik…” he said back, feeling his lips twitch and pull his lips into a wider grin. The other man snorted and Charles decided it was time for a change in direction, “I was going to let you sleep in you know. You don’t have to be out here if you don’t want to. The boys have everything under control.”  
  
Erik was already rolling up his sleeves as he said, “Don’t worry about me Charles.”  
  
Shaking his head gently Charles looked away. “I try not to,” he said honestly.  
  
Beside him Erik paused for just a moment before patting Charles on the shoulder. His much larger hand engulfed the brunet’s shoulder. “I’m going to get to work Charles, and what are you doing today? Don’t you have a class to teach today?”  
  
“I don’t have classes on Tuesday or Thursday,” Charles answered, concentrating on the question asked of him instead on the slight squeeze Erik’s warm hand had given him. “I arranged it that way because I wanted to concentrate on the wolves and my book. Now its just time for the animals. Which means I’m helping with the kennel today.”  
  
He didn’t miss the way Erik’s eyes looked him up and down at the words. Taking in his already dirty brown sweater, and the work jeans. Charles just smiled in response, “Believe it or not Erik I don’t spend all my time in the classroom.”  
  
“I never said that,” Erik said with a shrug of his shoulders quietly looking away as he started off towards the work area. Charles followed quickly behind, brushing his hands across his jeans and trying not to stare at Erik’s lean back.  
  
\---  
  
The kennel was half way covered when Moira arrived. She stared at the sight of tools scattered all over the ground, and the men drenched in sweat as they prepared for the next row of wires. As always Erik saw her first, took notice of her wide brown eyes and the slight upturn of her lips as she took in the sight. Beside her Raven shook her head and stared at the scene as well. “At this rate they’ll be done with the kennel just in time.”  
  
The blonde’s voice dragged the other man’s attention. Charles scrambled to his feet and flashed his white teeth, “Hello you two.”  
  
“Charles,” Raven beamed coming over and taking her sweat soaked brother in an open hug. Erik watched as she inhaled his scent and gave a last minute squeeze before pulling back. Her green eyes flashed to him for a moment, giving a meaningful look before returning to Charles. “Working hard?” she prompted.  
  
“As you can see we made great progress. Having Darwin and Alex helping makes things a lot speeder.”  
  
“Mostly because they know what they’re doing.” Sean supplied helpful clapping a friendly hand on Alex’s back.  
  
Darwin laughed as Moira stepped forward. Charles’ gaze settled on his colleague, and the thick magazine rolled in her hand, “What do you have there Moira?” his voice hitched in curiosity as he leaned forward on his toes.  
  
Moira easily held up the collection, “Just the latest volume of genetics magazine with someone’s published thesis in it.” Her smile was bright with happiness as she announced it. Her eagerness distracted her from noticing the tension snap into Charles’ back.  
  
Erik caught the sight as blue eyes flashed his way, giving a subtle apology. He shook his head, to show no hard feelings. Charles told him it was too late to stop the publication of his thesis.  
  
“Can I see that?” he asked reaching out for the journal.  
  
Moira’s smile widened, “Of course Mr. Lehnsehrr.” She said, just as Darwin spoke up.  
  
“Man Professor you’re published? What’s it about?”  
  
Chalres’ laugh was a nervous one, as his hand came up and raked through his dark locks. Erik tried to concentrate on the pages in front of him instead of Sean and Alex who had slipped up by his side to look over his shoulder.  
  
“Its about wolves of course…” started the Englishman, “wolves and their genetic relation to humans.”  
  
“You know,” Sean peeped in again, “like werewolves.”  
  
“Werewolves?” the word was said by both Alex and Darwin. Alex let out a forced chuckle, “Dude you believe in that kind of thing Professor?”  
  
“It’s hard to deny the science and I’m merely exploring the options.” Charles stated, his professor’s tone falling into his crisp accent as his eyes held a look Erik remembered seeing the first time he laid eyes on the professor. “Human’s share a large amount of DNA with all sorts of animals, not just chimps, and I find it hard to believe that the werewolf legend crops up in numerous different countries at different times on sheer coincidence.”  
  
“Charles had a book coming out about it,” Moira added unhelpfully beside him. Erik’s eyes snapped towards her while Charles stared at the half finished enclosure.  
  
“A book really?” Alex asked, sounding more then a little interested, “When’s it coming out?”  
  
“The key word there is had,” Charles answered with no hint of bitterness etching the words. “It’s currently on hiatus.”  
  
“Why is that?” Darwin questioned.  
  
Charles’ shoulders sagged as he shrugged them, “Still needs work, I wasn’t happy with it. Besides now is hardly the time for me to be running around promoting a book. The reservation has gotten a lot busier these past couple days.”  
  
Erik noted that Charles made sure not to give him a pointed look, instead the biologist was staring off at the Mexican Grey’s kennel, brushing his sweat slicked hair out of his face and licking his lips with a exhausted sigh.  
  
The answer seemed to be enough to satisfy the young men. Sean gently coaxed the journal out of Erik’s hand before he rifled through it. Alex hovered beside him asking quiet questions.  
  
Moira took a deep breath, “Well I wouldn’t argue with that logic,” she gave in, “Sean come with me to check on Gandalf and Sarumon. The kennel can be finished tomorrow.”  
  
“Yes Ma’am.” Sean beamed, shoving the journal fully into Alex’s hands and skipping after Moira like an eager puppy. She didn’t bat an eye as she strolled towards the older wolves kennel, and Raven rolled her eyes behind them.  
  
“He’s got it baaaad.” She said looking at the small group of men.  
  
“What?” Charles asked trying to tame his hair as the wind licked at it.  
  
“Nothing oblivious brother,” his sister sang with a laugh, “I’m going to go change. I’ll see you inside.”  
  
Charles turned to Darwin and Alex after Raven ducked away. “I guess you two are off the hook. Pretty good we finish now, looks like the rain will be here any minute.” He said.  
  
For good measure, Erik sniffed at the air and smelled the precipitation. The clouds looked pregnant and dark. Looming over the tree lines with their grey overcast.  
  
Darwin nodded, “About your offer Professor.” He said quietly, once Alex was shoulder to shoulder with him.  
  
Charles shook his head, “Think about it you two.” He said softly.  
  
Alex smirked, “Don’t need to think about it much I think.”  
  
His partner shot him a look, “But we will, and we’ll call you tonight.”  
  
“Really?” Charles visibly brightened at the news, and even glanced over Erik’s way to make sure the other man had heard the news. “I’ll eagerly await it.”  
  
Alex’s arm snaked around Darwin’s shoulders in a smooth movement. Erik caught the way Darwin’s face softened at the contact even if Alex’s held the same young smirk. “We best get going.” The blonde said as he pushed his companion towards the front yard where their old beat up Chevy sat.    
  
“Drive home safe.” Charles called with a small wave.  
  
Erik couldn’t help but snort behind him, “Drive home safe?”  
  
Charles lifted an eyebrow at him, “You don’t want them to be safe?” he asked with a lopsided smile that said he was kidding.  
  
Erik laughed, shaking his head and looking away from the professor’s handsome features. He might have had a snide remark to say back, when the rain started to fall.  
  
\---  
  
Rain on the Xavier wildlife reservation was a quiet affair. Every window echoed with the clink clack of the drops tapping on the glass. From the small records room where he was crouched filing away Cyclops’ file, Charles could hear Moira tapping away at her computer and Sean shuffling papers around. Probably acting busier than he really was.  
  
The file cabinet closed with a loud metallic slam, and Charles sighed. On the ground beside him laid the scientific journal Moira had brought home. He gave the thick collection of papers a rueful look.  
  
After the rain started everyone had retired inside. Charles had busied himself with errands that Reservation needed, and Erik had disappeared without once mentioning the goings on of the other night. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little disappointed.  
  
After last night he’d been sure they had made progress. Erik had been the one to kiss him, Charles had resigned himself that he was just happy with the Were’s company, even the little edge of friendship Erik had flashed him. But after the kiss, he was sure there had to be more.  
  
He wanted more.  
  
The actions after the kiss still confused him. Erik’s frantic behavior, and the late night run. He couldn’t puzzle out if they had stepped back or possibly forward. Either way, he wouldn’t know unless he confronted the other man. Their relationship had definitely shifted, and it had already been a fragile ornament hanging between them. Charles just needed to know if it had been smashed into a million pieces, or possibly perched on a more secure branch.  
  
Absentmindedly he picked up the journal and left the filing room. He would try Erik’s room, best to get it over with now then to continue on with the torture. The work day was nearly over anyway, Moira and Sean would be leaving within the hour. He called out to the red head, asking if he could handle the wolf’s dinner. Sean made a groaning noise, but a sharp look from Moira quickly silenced it. Sometimes it was good to have interns.  
  
He didn’t miss the questioning look Moira gave him as he left the small office area. Holding up the journal though seemed to give her a silent reason that even Charles couldn’t decipher as she nodded and he headed in the direction of his usual study.  
  
In the main foyer of the mansion he turned and started up the stairs to the second floor. The guest rooms were located on the opposite wing with the library and Charles’ room. The mansion had too many rooms, and while most of the first floor had been converted into business related interiors the other rooms had remained vastly empty. If Darwin and Alex took him up on the offer, that might change.  
  
Charles took a moment, trying to remember which room was Erik’s. Without peeping his head inside, it was nearly impossible to tell, and he hadn’t visited the man since he had settled in.  
  
Looking back and fourth between the doors, he debated the morality of peeping into which the rooms to see which one was most lived in. There was always the option of knocking but it seemed rather ridiculous if he went around pounding hopefully on the doors of his own house.  
  
“Charles?”  
  
There was no mistaking Erik’s voice behind him. Sounding loud, clear, and amused in the quiet hallway. Charles’ body immediately tensed at the voice, feeling like a child caught in the wrong as he slowly turned.  
  
The upturn of Eric's lips assured him he wasn’t in trouble, but the sharp glint in the man’s eyes read a pointed alertness that was always present in the Werewolf. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“Looking for you actually,” Charles said, finding his voice easier then he would have thought.  
  
Erik’s eyes widened, not in surprise but in interest. “Oh, and why would that be?”  
  
“I think we need to talk.”  
  
The alertness diminished in the Were’s eyes as they softened, “Yes, I believe we do.”  
  
Looking at other man suddenly became difficult. Charles focused on the light fixture hanging beside Erik’s head instead. “What happened last night?”  
  
The other man inhaled a sharp breath but waited a beat before answering, “A mistake.”  
  
“A mistake?” Charles clamped his mouth shut or it would have hung open in surprise, like a gaping fish.  
  
“Charles,” Erik stated, “my pack forbids mating with humans.”  
  
“Yes, you told me that last night. Before you kissed me.” To his credit he didn’t sound bitter, though a seed of the emotion was threatening to sprout then and there. Charles knew that would get him nowhere with Erik. He took a deep breath and tried a different tactic. “I know what you said last night, but your actions said something very different.”  
  
Erik’s side of the hallway was quiet, and he took it as his cue to continue. “There is a lot I don’t know about you, don’t understand. But I want to Erik, and I’m willing to wait for you to come on your own time to tell me.”  
  
“You don’t want to though,” Erik accused quietly, “In fact you don’t have to. It would be so much easier if you just didn’t care about me.”  
  
The breathlessness in the man’s voice made Charles eyes lock onto him. Under the light, Erik looked flushed and wide eyed, but his mouth was pulled down in its usual scowl. A strange combination of vulnerable and stony expressions that fascinated Charles.  
  
He licked his lips, “No I don’t, but I will.For you. Because I’ve been patient with you this long and look where it’s gotten me.” A weary smile punctuated the end of his sentence, and Charles was relieved when Erik returned it with a weak one of his own.  
  
“Why did you walk out the other night Erik?’  
  
The other man worked his jaw slowly, “When I’m aroused…” he started, “Like I was yesterday it can’t control myself. Either I have to change or I have to have sex. Last night I chose change.”  
  
“Why didn’t you choose the later option?” Charles asked, completely sincere.  
  
“You’re making this very difficult Charles.” Erik all but growled.  
  
“Am I?” he hummed watching as Erik approached him.  
  
A foot away from their chest touching Erik stopped. “Yes,” he answered then repeated, “I can’t mate with you.”  
  
“You’ve said that already.” Replied the professor feeling a bit cheekier, but he could feel the sudden boldness coming off as a side effect from the nerves. He was looking at Erik’s mouth, briefly wondering what the other man planned on doing with it.  
  
“But I suppose that doesn’t mean we can’t get this out of our systems.”  
  
Charles licked his lips again. He wanted to say it wasn’t in his system. That he had been fascinated with Erik since he first thought the man was just a handsome journalist. The Werewolf feature was a bonus to a already enthralling creature. Still, Erik’s words pulled him in and he nodded dumbly.  
  
A look of silent remorse formed on Erik’s face, “that means when this is all over I’ll still have to leave.”  
  
“Then let's enjoy our time together while we can.” Charles stated, against the jab in his chest from Erik’s reminder.  
  
Erik’s body reacted quickly, he leaned forward, hand coming up and cupping the side of Charles’ face while their lips crashed together. Their teeth clanked together at the first harsh contact, but then they quickly found their rhythm as Charles tilted his head up and opened his mouth and Erik opened his own mouth wider welcoming in every inch of the other man.  
  
Tentatively, their tongues touched, and then they both grew more aggressive. Charles meeting Erik’s in a delicate dance for control that neither won in the end.  
  
Erik pulled back quietly, but only to push Charles body back a step with his own as he said, “My room.”  
  
“I’m afraid I don’t know which one…”  
  
“Behind you, two doors down on the left.” His voice was impatient as he pushed past Charles, grabbing his wrist as he lead the way.  
  
Erik opened the door to his room in a swift, rushed gesture and pulled Charles inside. As soon as the door was closed, the smaller man turned to Erik expecting to pick up the kiss where they left off. Erik moved towards him before fluidly falling to his knees and nuzzling the soft cock under Chalres’ jeans.  
  
The professor gasped at the contact, looking down at the man with wide eyes. “Erik…”  
  
“Shh,” the Were hushed, “Let me.” Long fingers moved to the buttons of his jeans, undoing them and then the sliding down the zipper at an agonizing speed. All the way Erik inhaled loudly as he took in the scent of Charles’ lower regions. Each breath he let out was just as noisy, coming out desperate and shaky.  
  
Charles felt his face heat up at the sight. He had never been treated this way before. The sight of Erik just dropping on his knees and practically worshipping his body made his knees go weak. And as soon as the man opened up his jeans, reaching in and grasping his cock under the loose pair of briefs, Charles knew he wouldn’t be able to stay on his feet.  
  
“God,” he gasped at the touch, “Erik… Erik, I can’t. I need to lie down.”  
  
“Then lay down,” Erik’s voice was gruff, and when he looked up Charles could see the man’s eyes heavily clouded over in lusty greed. “Lay down right here.”  
  
At the command Charles also fell to his knees and quickly Erik pushed him back against the floor. The Englishman shifted a bit to get comfortable, and then Erik’s mouth was on him like… well, like a hungry wolf.  
  
He mouthed the hardening cock between the fabric of Charles’ underwear for a moment, but making a low dismissive sound and freeing the erection from its captivity. Erik’s hand was unnaturally warm against his already hot cock, causing a noise of surprise to come from Charles’ lips.  
  
“God Charles,” the Were sighed as Charles heard him sniff loudly once more, “You smell… amazing.”  
  
Charles let out a nervous laugh, “I’m glad?”  
  
“I’ve never said this before, but you smell like the woods, and dirt.”  
  
Another laugh escaped Charles. If anyone else would have said he smelled dirty it would be a insult, from Erik though it was a sweet complaint that he would savor. He had always enjoyed the smell of the outside, if it lingered on him and happened to drive handsome Werewolves mad with lust that was a plus.  
  
Then he felt the hot breath of Erik’s mouth against his cock a split second before the man engulfed him. A surprised cry escaped him at the initial feeling of Erik’s tongue circling the head of his cock. Teeth grazed the skin sending a tantalizing sensation through Charles as his body jerked back. “Teeth!”  
  
Erik’s low chuckle was muffled by the skin, “Sorry, sometimes I can’t help myself.”  
  
The apology was quick and then he was went back to the task at hand, and Charles lost himself to the feeling of Erik sucking him off. His fingers crawled into Erik’s short hair while the man’s head bobbed up and down, twining themselves into the locks as he egged Erik on.  
  
“More,” he breathed, “God Erik. You’re amazing.”  
  
He heard a familiar low growl coming from the other man, something that sounded pleased with Charles’ cries and he picked up speed. The Englishman arched into the heat and cried out.  
  
It only encouraged Erik more who hummed against his cock. It was the extra push Charles needed as a powerful orgasm overcame him. He let out a long moan and yanked desperately at Erik’s hair as a warning. The man didn’t pull back though, his mouth hungrily took in more and he swallowed every last drop.  
  
After, Charles fell back onto the floor like a limp doll. His breathing was ragged, but every inch of him was heavy with satisfaction. He heard the wet sounds of Erik pulling away, and then looked up to meet the man’s eyes.  
  
Erik smiled, looking more then a little pleased with himself as he lifted an arm and wiped off his mouth.  
  
“You looked like you enjoyed yourself.” Charles observed, still trying to catch his breath.  
  
“You looked like you enjoyed it more.” Erik shot back.  
  
Charles just smiled and licked his lips. “So is that all we can do then?” he asked still looking at the man between his legs, “without mating?”  
  
Erik hummed to himself and crawled up Charles body. Placing kisses on the cardigan he was still wearing, and neck, before finally moving his head and licking under Charles’ strong jaw. “No” he stated, “To mate my seed would have to be allowed to get inside you. If we use a condom there is so much more we can do.”  
  
An interested sound escaped Charles at the answer. “Well it just so happens that I have protection.” the professor purred, “Just give me a moment. I’m not as young as I use to be.”  
  
Erik laughed at that, his head falling on one of Charles’ slim shoulders as he hid his face. Charles just listened to the roll of his voice as he chuckled. His tall body wrapped around Charles’ smaller one, they fitting snugly against each other in spite of their differences in size.  
  
Despite the fact that Erik was still fully dressed he could feel the man’s massive penis between the fabric of his jeans rubbing a soft spot on Charles’ thigh. He smiled brightly and kissed the top of Erik’s head, “In the meantime I can return the favor.”  
  
\---  
  
Eventually they made it to the bed. Eventually they both undressed, and took in the sight of the other naked. For Charles it was a chance to take in the sight he had once glanced at, while Erik drank in the view with eyes that were still starved with desire.  
  
Eventually they fell against the mattress of Erik’s full sized bed and noticed evening had grown into dusk, and they were both too exhausted to move.  
  
“I’ll have to get up eventually and make sure Moira and Sean left. I also need to check on the wolves one last time as well.” Charles said sleepily, his head propped on Erik’s chest.  
  
“You don’t have to go.” Erik said as his arm tightened around him.  
  
He did though, Charles never slept well if he didn’t get one last check in before bed but.. He snuggled closer to Erik though, enjoying the man’s heat. The wolves could wait a couple more hours.  
  
Of course that would be the time the digital tune of a cell phone buzzed in the air. Under him he felt Erik tense at the noise, before Charles patted his chest and assured him. “Its mine.”  
  
Erik just nodded numbly while Charles untangled himself from their mess of limbs. “I better answer it,” the he continued, “With the new wolf coming it could be anyone.”  
  
“I understand.”  
  
He didn’t bother trying to cover himself up, but trying to find where his pants had been discarded proved to be a bit more of a challenge. By time he found them, and dug his phone out Erik was propped up on the bed and directing a lazy smile his way.  
  
Charles tried to hide his own pleased smile before turning to the phone call. “Hello?” he said before brightening, “Darwin! It’s nice to hear from you.”  
  
The workman exchanged pleasantries and it was hard to pretend to be listening when Erik was lying on the bed, shifting irritably, so that the dim lighting of the room caught different parts of his body. Illuminating them for Charles like a show. “I’m sorry, I missed the last part. What did you say?”  
  
The man on the other end laughed and repeated himself Charles beamed even though Darwin couldn’t see him. “You’ll take my offer?” he said giving Erik a pointed look. At the words the Were perked as well, an impressed nod moving his head. “That’s great, yes we’ll discuss it more when you get here, and no I don’t mind if you bring some things over tomorrow. I’m very excited for you and Alex to stay here.” He paused again, “Yes… tomorrow. Good bye.”  
  
The phone call ended leaving Charles to give Erik his full attention. “Your plan seemed to work.”  
  
“They usually do,” Erik sighed, leaning back in the bed and stretching. “There has been one exception though.”  
  
“Oh really,” Charles said flashing him a look. “well since I’m up I might as well go check on everything.”  
  
A unhappy noise escaped Erik which Charles merely laughed at. “I guess I have no choice but to join you then.”  
  
“I think I’d like that.”  
  
Erik threw the covers off his naked body. Charles took another moment to appreciate his beauty before grinning. “You going to walk out like that?”  
  
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Answered Erik with his own knowing smile.  
  
Charles scoffed and picked up Erik’s pair of jeans which were lying abandoned by his own. He threw the clothing at the other man who caught it with ease. “Don’t distract me.”  
  
“Wouldn’t dream of it Charles,” Erik replied, “Though now may be a bad time to mention I enjoy sex outdoors just as much as indoors.”  
  
Charles couldn’t help but pause tugging on his own jeans as the thought worked its way through his mind. Ignoring the triumphant grin Erik flashed him he walked towards the door, calling behind him, “Don’t keep me waiting Erik.”  
  
He left it to the other man to interpret his meaning.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Thank you all for being amazing readers and reviewers. I love reading all the comments and remarks, they really make my day- and I'm trying to be better about replying to commenters to show how much I appreciate them! I hope this Chapter is good and you all find it enjoyable.
> 
> 2) I'm assuming this will be done in 15 chapters (give or take) OMG!

Thursday came faster than anyone was expecting. The past two days had held only perfect weather for the kennel to get done quickly and for everything to be prepared. Every time Darwin and Alex came out to the facility they brought a few more belongings from their apartment and slowly began to fill up the large suite Charles gave them.    
  
Charles hadn’t realized how bad the two had it. As he worked with Alex, showing him how to measure out the wolves’ food and do a basic check-in, the younger boy opened up to him. Told him how his younger years had been more than a little on the rough side before he met Darwin, and how he was still trying to recover. He knew Hank from high school, where the vet had been one of the few to go on to do something with his life while the only place Alex saw in his future was jail. That’s exactly where he had landed -- in juvie, to be more exact, and only for a year. Charles had to give Alex credit for being an honest kid.  Coming forward so quickly about his past took guts.  
  
Alex was smart, though, and he caught on fast to the running of the reservation. He managed to feed the wolves with Sean on Wednesday while Charles hovered nearby to oversee. He had a bit of a mouth, but to the adults running the wildlife preserve he was more than respectful. Charles saw the way the blond laughed and joked with Raven and Sean and nodded eagerly when Moira asked him to perform a menial task on the estate. Of course, he seemed to have some quiet hero worship for Erik, but Charles suspected it was because the Were had a mysterious aura that Alex could relate too.  
  
Darwin fit in better than perfectly. He always asked if there were something that needed to be done, making  Charles would blink in surprise before sputtering out a task. Things that he had been meaning to tend to for months were finally getting attention, and Charles couldn’t be happier.  Erik’s motives for hiring the two to stay may have been misplaced, but it had clearly been a good idea.  
  
And then there was Erik.  
  
Erik, who didn’t shy away from him anymore and seemed to be falling into life in the Mansion as much as the two new workmen. Charles couldn’t even look at the other man without feeling like his face was going to burst into flames. Erik returned each look with a smile that said he wanted to devour him.  
  
And maybe Charles wouldn’t mind that so much.  
  
The only downside to Alex and Darwin living with them was that it put Erik and Raven’s morning runs were on standby until they could find a time when no one was on the estate -- times which were few and far between. Both Weres were restless. Raven locked herself away in the weight room like she used to do before Erik entered their lives, and Erik sometimes joined her. At other times he burned his energy with Charles’ help.  
  
There was still no word from Erik’s pack master, and it was becoming easier and easier to forget the real reason Erik was staying with them. And every time he tried to remind himself to be worried, Erik leaned over and nuzzled his neck, and the feeling would be gone.  
  
It was easy to pretend that what they had going would last forever because it felt like it would.  
  
\---  
  
The van was supposed to come at nine o’clock, but it was already thirty minutes late. Charles looked down at his watch for the seventh time and frowned. Beside him Hank pocketed his hands and yawned.  
  
“It’s perfectly normal for them to be late right?” he asked, sparing a look at the vet.  
  
Hank blinked sleepy dark eyes and nodded. “It’s a long drive, Charles. You can give them at least another couple minutes before starting to worry.”  
  
Charles shook his head and shrugged into his thick coat. It wasn’t the ideal day to be standing in the front driveway and waiting for thirty minutes, but he wanted to greet the transporters as soon as they arrived and quickly get the wolf processed into the reservation.  
  
Alex jogged up, with splotches of water decorating the knees of his pants and the bright red jacket Charles had lent him. His smile was bright as he said, “Wolves have water. Is he here yet?”  
  
“Not yet.” Charles clicked his tongue and stood on his toes as if the position gave him a better vantage to see the truck coming. “But soon.”  
  
“Good to see you again, Alex,” Hank stammered, his mouth twisted into a nervous smile. From what the Professor had observed, the blond intimidated the taller boy more than a little. Hank was closer with Darwin, it seemed, but the older boy was out buying material for the spare kennel the Reserve needed built.  
  
Alex seemed to interact with Hank civilly enough. “You too, big foot,” he said, affectionately teasing him with a nickname that had apparently stuck with Dr. McCoy all through high school. _Big foot_ being the more civil of the names. Alex clapped the vet encouragingly on the shoulder and started asking what Hank was going to do once the Mexican Grey arrived.  
  
The young vet briefly described the general checkup and nutrition check he would be performing, the confidence in his voice growing louder from his expertise. Alex’s eyes widened just slightly as he nodded and listened intently.  
  
Meanwhile, Charles licked his lips. Still no sign of the tuck.  
  
He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his phone. No missed calls from the handling company or from Moira. His colleague had gone back to the university. Moira still had her own classes to teach as well as being busy with making sure the work Charles left by the wayside had someone to attend to it. The woman was a godsend.  
  
For once Erik wasn’t by his side either. The Were was busy working off his pent up energy with Raven. Charles quietly wondered if the two fed off each other’s presence, since Erik arrived Raven had seemed more restless than usual. She also seemed a bit calmer, as did Erik. It was possible having another Were living with them put their protective nature at ease. He had been somewhat surprised when the other man had announced he wouldn’t be hovering nearby when the Mexican Grey arrived.  
  
Surprised, but also slightly relieved. It wouldn’t do having too many people crowding around the new animal.  
  
A sudden sharp breath from Hank encouraged him to look up, and there it was, a large white animal control truck making its way up the freshly graveled driveway. The bright yellow logo on the side was the only thing that alerted them to the truck’s identity, and Charles felt himself relax at the sight.  
  
“There it is,” Hank said, holding up a hand to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight.  
  
Charles thinned his lips and took in the sight. After all this time, all the long preparation, it was finally here. “Yeah,” he breathed before turning to where Alex stood dazed behind them. “Alex, will you go fetch Sean please? We’ll probably need his help getting the wolf to the clinic.”  
  
Alex nodded quickly. “On it, Professor,” he said before darting to the mansion.  
  
Charles turned his attention back to the truck just in time to see it stop in front of him. The driver - there was only one - took up the entire front seat. He looked like a big fellow, and as soon as he cut the engine and jumped out the truck seemed to lift, visibly shedding pounds. When he stood, Charles could see he really was a big fellow. At least Eik’s height, probably taller, with broad shoulders and even broader arms that threatened to rip the shirt off his back.  
  
Charles couldn’t help but blink at the man. Usually the animal control officers were pleasant older women or men, with builds similar to his own. The man in front of him looked more suited to be a pro wrestler than an animal handler. But maybe when handling this wolf a man built like a semi truck was necessary.  
  
He put on a friendly smile. “Good morning,” he called out as the handler made his way towards them. “I’m Charles Xavier. I hope the drive was pleasant?”  
  
“It was fine,” answered the stranger, wiping his hands on the leg of his pants before stretching out a hand. “Name’s Victor, you in need of this wolf?”  
  
“Yes, next to me is our Veterinarian Hank McCoy, and I have some help coming if we need it.” Charles took the offered hand and felt Victor’s iron grip before the man turned and gave Hank the same courtesy.  
  
Hank was taller than Charles, but under his large vet coat and glasses that were a size too large he looked brittle shaking hands with such an enormous man. Victor shook his head at Charles’ earlier comment, “I gave the wolf an extra dose of tranq forty miles back. To make sure it stayed sedated for this transfer. It should be down for the entire check-in and while we move it to the kennel.”  
  
Hank’s brows frowned just slightly. “What kind of tranquilizer did you give it?”  
  
“The only kind they gave me, Doc,” Victor shrugged, leading the way to the back of the truck. His large muscles flexed as he lifted the latch and swung open the wide back door. Inside was a collection of animal cages, but only one animal.  
  
Charles eyes took in the small form of the Mexican Grey, his fur the color of a southern desert, tan and grey. The noise from the opening door didn’t bother the animal at all as it continued to lay in the same spot, almost as if it were playing dead.  
  
Victor’s voice brought him away from the wolf and back to the task at hand. “Alright, boys, help me get this guy out.”  
  
Hank and Charles dug out work gloves from their jean pockets while the trucker grabbed the cage with his bare hands. Together they got a good grip on the metal bars and hefted the entire carrier out in one clean movement. Victor dropped his side carelessly when they set it down, almost catching Hank’s hands between the ground and the bottom of the cage. The vet yelped and flashed the man a look. Victor simply looked uninterested as he shrugged.  
  
“Well, my job here is done.”  
  
“Thank you for bringing him all this way,” Charles said again, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a generous tip for the driver. “Again, it was a great help.”  
  
Victor gave the money a long stare before taking it, his mouth pulling into the first flash of a smile since his arrival. The smile looked more like a grimace, but Charles would take it.  
  
“You be careful with that wild animal, now,” Victor chided, not even looking at the wolf as he pocketed the money.  
  
Charles’ smile fell a little as he turned to look at the wolf again. It still slept like the dead. When he looked back up, the trucker was locking up the back once again before moving to get into the truck. The Reserve staff waited patiently as the white vehicle roared to life and bumped down the road.  
  
Only when it was a halfway down the driveway did Hank sigh, “That man was an idiot.”  
  
“Hank.” Charles turned to give the younger man a well meaning look but the other just shook his head and bent down beside the cage of the Mexican Grey.  
  
“Didn’t even know what sedative he gave the wolf. Aren’t they supposed to be medically trained? At least with the basics.”  
  
“We’ll discuss it if there’s a problem with the wolf,” Charles answered, bending down beside him. “Now let’s just get this guy checked into his new home.”  
  
At that moment Sean and Alex came strolling out of the front doors, taking their time while  talking animatedly and laughing. Charles did his best not to sigh as he called out to them, “Boys, do you mind? We have some things that need to get done.”  
  
That startled Sean into a brisker pace. Charles had complained to Moira once before about the intern’s leisurely attitude towards the work, and for a couple months after that he had noticed a new swift and earnest attitude in the boy while Moira smiled at her computer screen and said nothing. Now whenever he chastised Sean even a little, he worked hard to redeem himself.  Whatever Moira had said to him had really motivated him, or possibly scared him into submission. He wouldn’t put it pass Moira MacTaggart.  
  
Alex seemed just as surprised by the abrupt change as he jogged behind Sean, giving Charles a an awestruck look.  
  
“What do you need, Prof?” Sean asked as soon as they came to a complete stop. His eyes wandered down to the wolf and widened. “Shit, is that the wolf? Why is it dead?”  
  
“It’s sedated,” Hank sighed in an exasperated tone.  
  
“We need to carry this entire crate to the clinic,” Charles explained. “We’ll need everyone’s help. Hank will give the wolf a check-up, and then we’re going to put it in its pen. Alex, while Hank looks over it I need you to make sure the Grey has water and food ready in its new home. It’s going to be dehydrated when it wakes up.”  
  
Alex nodded, his face set in a no-nonsense attitude. “Understood.”  
  
“Alright.” Charles ran a hand through his hair as he looked back down at the metal crate. “Everyone take a side. On the count of three, we’ll lift.”  
  
\---  
  
The check-up lasted thirty minutes, until Hank deemed the wolf free of viruses or infection. Still, the animal was underweight and malnourished. Charles had expected as much after reading the Mexican Grey’s initial report, but actually seeing it made him feel nauseous.  
  
The wolf’s ribs were visible even through its fur.  There were markings on its front and hind legs where it had been chained up, and around its neck the skin and hair had been rubbed raw, displaying a painful red rash. Lesser cuts decorated its muzzle and belly, but they were already in the process of healing. The wolf’s entire body was already beginning to hide the days of abuse it had withstood, but it would take much longer time for the psychological healing to occur. If it ever did.  
  
Sean hissed loudly as the damage became more and more clear. “They really did a number on this guy, huh?”  
  
“They did,” Charles said, brushing his hand across the grey fur. It felt coarse against his soft fingertips but he continued the soothing gesture. Even if the wolf was unaware of it. “But that’s why he’s here.”  
  
“Charles, you’re going to have to make sure he gets the right supplements in his food. Don’t overfeed him, but give him a little more to eat for dinner and give him these vitamins with his food.” Hank pulled out a bottle of pills and slipped it into Charles’ awaiting hands.  
  
The professor nodded. “Oh course.”  
  
“I’ll give you some sedatives to keep on hand here, just in case he acts out. Which, I shouldn’t have to remind you, is still a very real possibility.” Hank eyed him intently from behind his thick glasses while his hand rummaged for more sedatives. Sean took them and immediately threw them in the nearby fridge.  
  
“I’ll prescribe some ointment for his skin. It’s dry, which is bad for the burns, so put this on once every two days.” Charles nodded while Hank pushed up his glasses, “And finally, it’s going to get cold here soon. The Mexican Grey isn’t used to this kind of winter, so I suggest you put some blankets in its pen or figure out some way to keep it warm. I doubt it will be growing a winter coat.”  
  
“Understood.” Charles’ mind was already going over the list again while Hank wrote down the name of the skin ointment and a list of recommended eating supplements. While the vet busied himself with the list, Charles and Alex hauled the animal off the examination table and back into its crate. The Mexican Grey was probably the lightest wolf he had ever handled. They were supposed to be small wolves, but its weight was still unsettling.  
  
“We’ll take him out while you finish up in here,” he suggested, looking up at Hank who was still fiddling with his list.  
  
The younger man looked up, dark eyes blinking rapidly before he nodded. “What? Oh yes, okay. I’ll meet you outside.”  
  
With a nod, Sean and Alex hurried over to the crate and helped Charles lift it off the ground. Even with just the three of them, the weight of the carrier was insignificant. The heaviest part was the metal, the wolf itself being hardly noticeable. The three of them moved slowly at first, trying not to bump anything as they moved out the door. Once outside though, Charles urged them to move faster in case the wolf woke soon.  
  
In ten minutes they were gently placing the wolf’s body onto the soft, newly dug soil and quietly leaving the kennel. When the kennel lock clicked behind them, Charles sighed and rested his head against the wire. Finally able to relax.  
  
They all stared at the unmoving animal for a long moment, taking in their new charge with intense curiosity.    
  
“We need to give him a name…” Sean said suddenly.  
  
Charles glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “You do not get to name him this time.”  
  
“Aw, why not? I always pick awesome names!”  
  
“Because you’ve named the last five wolves,” Charles stated. “Someone new gets a chance this time.”  
  
The mansion door slammed loudly behind them. They all turned to look, expecting to see just Hank making his ways towards them. Instead, Charles saw Raven happily clutching the Vet’s arm while Hank stammered in conversation. Erik loomed behind them, shooting a displeased look at Hank that the other man fortunately missed.  
  
Charles smiled and shook his head just as Raven noticed them and called out. “Hey! Is he here?”  
  
“We wouldn’t be standing around his pen if he weren’t here,” Alex pointed out.  
  
As they neared the others, Raven detached herself from Hank’s arm and jabbed Alex playfully in the shoulder for his backtalk. The blond laughed but rubbed his shoulder where Charles was sure a bruise would be forming. Sometimes Raven still didn’t realize how much stronger she was than humans.  
  
His sister’s eyes immediately turned to the kennel and took in the creature lying there. “Is he even alive?”  
  
Charles sighed. “Yes, and he should be waking up soon, so step away from the fence.”  
  
Raven looked up and flashed him a smile. “Look who’s talking,” she said, eyeing Charles’ fingers wedged between the wires.  
  
The professor gave a thin-lipped smile, and they both took a few steps back from the kennel. His eyes left Raven and moved to Erik. Both of the Weres had changed out of their work out clothing, which was a shame. Erik drenched in sweat was usually a great sight to behold. Still, in his jeans and black t-shirt, he looked as handsome as always.  
  
The Were raised a brow at Charles’ appraising look, showing he’d read the thoughts passing through the Professor’s mind. Erik couldn’t hide the smirk as he asked, “What are you three doing now?”  
  
“We’re trying to figure out a name for it,” Sean replied.  
  
Raven rolled her eyes. “Please tell me Charles vetoed anything you already came up with.”  
  
“No, apparently I’m not even allowed to offer my opinion on the matter,” Sean made a show of pouting over the decision while Raven just sighed.  
  
“Oh, thank God.”  
  
“Hey!”  
  
“I think either Erik or Alex should name it,” Charles spoke up, using his teaching voice to silence the ongoing argument.  
  
The group grew quiet. Alex’s eyes were wide while Erik’s brows narrowed just the slightest bit. Raven and Sean looked at eachother, then to Charles for further explanation. He shrugged, “Our newest members should name our newest wolf. I think that’s fair.”  
  
“Fine!” Sean huffed, clearly all drama with no real remorse in the utterance.  
  
With the redhead’s resignation, all eyes turned to the-would be namers. Alex’s face turned pink under their gaze. “Look, I’m not great at naming things,” he admitted without meeting anyone’s eyes. “I couldn’t even name my fish when I had one. I just called it fish, sooo…”  
  
“Just try to think of something,” Charles encouraged softly before turning to Erik. “What about you?”  
  
Erik’s mouth was a straight line as he looked at the pen behind them. He stared at the motionless animal. He shrugged his shoulders slowly, and Charles assumed he was going to give up as well before his stern voice washed over all of them. “I like Pietro…”  
  
“Pietro?” Raven repeated, looking back down at the wolf. Then she laughed, not unkindly, as she said, “God, Erik, could you think of a more stereotypical name?”  
  
“Hey, Erik, are you a comic book fan?” Sean asked suddenly. “Because - you know, in this one, the villain has kids and one’s name is…”  
  
“Pietro is a fine name,” Charles interrupted, giving Sean a sharp look. The intern flashed him an apologetic smile before trailing off, “I’ll shut up now,” under his breath.  
  
The biologist redirected his gaze to Alex. “If it’s fine with Alex, of course.”  
  
The blond shrugged, “Better than anything I would have come up with.”  
  
“Perfect!’ Charles said with a clap of hands. “Then it’s settled.” He turned and looked at the unresponsive wolf. “Welcome to the family, Pietro.”  
  
\---  
  
Pietro, it later turned out, was like no other wolf Charles had ever dealt with. When the wolf awoke, he became a non-stop flurry of snapping jaws and frazzled movements. He entertained himself for awhile with trying to chew through the wire of his pen, then went about sniffing angrily, marking his new territory.  Not once did he stop snarling at the humans watching him, and after failing to break out of the cage he never came within three feet of the fence.  
  
Sean looked at the wolf as if it was the first wild animal he had ever seen - which, compared to Charles’ other wolves, was probably truth. Pietro was as wild as they came.  
  
Alex merely seemed disappointed when the wolf backed away from the fence, and sad when it never stopped its angry growling.  
  
Charles simply shook his head and wondered out loud if he should get something to coat the fence, to stop the wolf’s chewing habit.  
  
Erik just watched.  
  
He noted every tense movement Pietro made. Followed the patterns it paced, and stared back as the animal’s eyes took each and every one of them in with the distrust and fear of an abuse victim. When Pietro’s wild green eyes met his own, the wolf paused for a full minute. Which was some improvement, at least.  
  
For Erik it was the most surreal feeling, watching the Mexican Grey. It was partly seeing the animal Charles had obsessed over and cared for ever since he’d first met him.  But more than that, Erik felt like he was looking at the mirror image of himself. Stalking his way across the earth, angry about his situation and the people who surrounded him. At least that had been him until a few short days ago, before Charles worked his magic.  
  
If anyone could help Pietro, Erik thought solemnly, it was Charles.  
  
\---  
  
Eventually Sean excused himself to go do his school work. Darwin returned from the errands he went to run in town. He looked at Pietro, then turned to Alex and offered the distraction of moving more things into the mansion, which the blond gladly took. Hank had to leave, but Raven coaxed him into the house for a soda, leaving Charles and Erik alone outside watching Pietro continue to stalk around his pen.  
  
The silence hanging over them was a new experience. Usually Charles was chatty around his favorite animals, but Pietro’s condition sobered him in the face of the harsh realities some animals had to bear.  
  
Erik quietly stretched his back and licked his lips. “He not what you expected?” he eyed the Professor out of the corner of his eyes and saw the small head shake.  
  
“No. He’s exactly how I expected him to be. That still doesn’t mean I’m not shocked,” Charles said calmly.  
  
Erik turned back to the animal, studying the numerous man-made scars along its legs and the sickening cavity in its abdomen. “Is he beyond fixing?” The question had been gnawing at his mind ever since the Mexican Grey’s unsociable personality came to life. He didn’t know Charles’ methods for integrating a wolf back into the wilderness, but it looked like nothing would be able to make Pietro anything less than dangerous.  
  
He tried not to look at Charles as the smaller man answered, “I don’t know.” There was a long silence as Charles seemed to assess his options. “I’m definitely going to have to go about things differently with this one, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be eligible for release, but if that’s the case he’ll just have to live out the rest of his days here.”  
  
“You’d let something this wild stay on your property?” Erik couldn’t help but snort. “What if he hurt one of your visitors, or your workers?” He didn’t worry about any of the wolves attacking Raven - her reflexes were quick - but Charles could easily be betrayed by the animals he seemed to love so much. It was already a miracle the man didn’t have any telling scars from wolf mishaps in the past. Usually people who worked with wild animals as long as Charles had had one or two close calls.  
  
Charles’ jaw worked as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. Instead he sighed, “All wolves are wild, Erik. It’s just their nature. I don’t allow myself to think for one second that my animals are anything but that.”  
  
Then Erik felt his companion’s solemn gaze turn towards him. He refused to look back. He couldn’t be sure what emotions were playing across Charles’ face as he spoke, and he was too much of a coward to find out. “Just because they’re wild, though, doesn’t mean that they are broken. They all have a place here.”  
  
He was at a loss for what to say to Charles’ words. Their undertone made his stomach clench painfully, making it difficult just to get out, “That’s noble of you, Charles,”  
  
“Hardly,” Charles replied, laughing briskly, “just what I love to do.” He stood up, brushing the leaves and dirt from his clothing, and turned to the Were. His blue eyes looked glassy in the bright autumn sun and the freckles on his face stood out more prominently in small blotches. “I need to go in and start on a plan for our friend Pietro here. Will you be all right for the rest of the evening?”  
  
Erik nodded. “Of course.”  
  
Charles smiled before dropping his gaze to his shoes, “I’d like to tell you what I come up with later tonight, possibly,” he offered, a crimson blush creeping up the sides of his neck.  
  
Erik had to bite down on a smile. Neither of them were brave enough to directly address the change in their relationship for what it truly was. Mutual comfort for a short and limited time, yet they couldn’t stop it. The invitations of chess and liquored conversations turned into much more without any prompting anymore. Erik was just as guilty as Charles for letting it happen, but he was probably the only one who regretted it, even a little.  
  
Still, the shy smiles and inventive ways Charles came up with to buy them time alone were amusing and always sent a thrill of heat from Erik’s heart to his groin. He nodded, trying hard not to look up and down Charles’ slender body. Even hiding behind layers of baggy farm clothes, the image of pale lean muscles came to him as easily as if Charles were standing naked before him.  
  
Pietro snarled behind them, causing Charles to straighten up and run his hands nervously through his locks. His face betrayed embarrassment as if caught red handed. “Right, then I shall see you later inside.”  
  
“I expect a full report later tonight,” Erik said, enjoying the earnest smile that pulled at Charles’ lips in response before the biologist jogged off towards the house.  
  
As Charles passed him, Erik took the chance to sniff at the air for good measure, taking in the scent of pine trees and earl grey tea with a deep sigh. Pietro’s musk was in the air as well, a combination of sand and what Erik imagined to be cactus along with medicine and the stink of stale fur. Something else lingered between the two scents, though.  
  
He frowned, drawing his brows together as he took another tentative breath. In the presence of the others, he hadn’t allowed himself to get too close to Charles, so he couldn’t have caught it earlier, not with six other unique odors around him. Now he could only detect the smell, not the source or any defining traits.  
  
He glared down at the pen where Pietro was busy rolling in the fresh patch of dried mud. An unsettling feeling caused Erik to remain rooted in front of the wolf’s kennel. Every muscle had tensed as soon as he sniffed Charles, and he couldn’t figure out the reason behind it.  
  
It wasn’t just Charles, though. The smell clung to Pietro as well. He bit the inside of his cheek and took a step towards the wolf, hoping to get close enough that he might be able to pick up something else.  
  
Immediately Pietro’s attention snapped towards him and the wolf bared his teeth.  
  
Erik could barely hold in a eye roll. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, the softness in his voice surprising himself, but the wolf backed further away from the gate and he cursed under his breath. “Come here.”  
  
At that moment his phone vibrated in his pants pocket, causing another curse to erupt from his mouth as Pietro snapped his teeth in irritation and darted behind a cluster of trees. “Shit,” Erik snapped, digging into his pocket for the offending device. His irritation radiated off him in waves that would put the ocean to shame. Without even glancing down at the phone he snapped it open and mimicked the wolf that until moments ago had been in front of him as he snarled, “What?”  
  
“Erik,” a smooth voice drawled on the other end of the line. “Is that any way to greet your pack master?”  
  
Suddenly the fall breeze seemed to have a bite of winter to it and Erik felt cold. “Shaw,” he croaked as his leader laughed into his ear.  
  
“Yes, sorry I’ve been out of touch for so long.” The man didn’t sound sorry at all  as he sighed into the phone. “Now, I believe we have business to discuss.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Next installment. Again, thanks everyone for being awesome readers! My beta just finished this and I knew I couldn't keep you all waiting- So here it is. ENJOY!
> 
> 2) Also, warning for lots of sex in this chapter. But- who am I kidding, you guys don't need a warning for that.

**Chapter Eleven**  
  
Erik couldn’t breathe. It felt as if his lungs were caught between two iron clamps, and he had the nerve-wracking feeling that releasing a breath would let all his secrets escape with it. Erik opted for silence instead, squeezing his lips together to allow himself some time to get his thoughts straight, while the man on the phone continued their conversation with nonchalant ease.  
  
“I suppose I should apologize for being so busy. There have been many things requiring my attention lately, Erik. For example, the other day I picked up a recent scientific journal and found myself reading the most unnerving article about the genetics of Werewolves.” Shaw paused to let the words sink in.  Erik gritted his teeth harder to hold back a growl when the man asked, “How did this article get published when it was your job to keep it from seeing the light of day?”  
  
“I tried to contact you,” Erik answered, his tone clipped with tense irritation. “There were complications.”  
  
“Complications?” Shaw repeated, making it very clear what he thought of _complications_.  
  
Erik forced himself to swallow his anger. His pack master was the type of man who made quick decisions and never looked back. He had to tread carefully, not just for himself but also for Raven and Charles.  
  
“I stopped the book from being published,” he started. “That is what you asked me to do, and I did it. The thesis was already scheduled to come out and there was no preventing it.”  
  
“Well, I suppose that is something,” Shaw drawled. “Did you kill the professor?”  
  
Rage boiled in his stomach at the ease with which the man mentioned killing Charles Xavier. Erik quickly forced it down, reminding himself it wasn’t long ago that he had been the type of man who unquestioningly killed anyone his packmaster told him to.  Not long ago, he had been the very man charged with putting an end to Charles’ life.  
  
He shot a look over his shoulder towards the mansion to make sure no one was in sight. He couldn’t allow anyone to sneak up on his conversation a second time. “That’s the other complication…” Erik answered slowly. “The first moment I got alone with Professor Xavier, he revealed the mole almost instantly.”  
  
“Ah!” interest lit Shaw’s voice. “He did? It’s so easy to make humans squeal. Did he beg for his life as well?” The man laughed at the thought, and Erik snorted.  
  
“No,” he replied. “The mole, it turns out, is an abandoned werewolf whom Professor Xavier adopted when they were children. She’s his sister now, and she had no idea our kind even existed before I arrived.”  
  
There was a pause as Shaw considered the information. Erik nervously flicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he tried to hold himself in. His pack master was never quiet for long, and those rare times when he was were never followed by anything good.  
  
“A packless Were?”  
  
“Yes,” Erik nodded. “She had no clue about our laws and customs.”  
  
“Even so, Erik, ignorance isn’t an excuse,” Shaw tutted then asked again, “Did you kill them?”  
  
Erik hesitated for less than a second, but it was still too long. “No,” he declared, trying to put every ounce of confidence into his voice as he explained his justification, “If I had killed the Professor, I would have had to fight the Were and kill her, too. She’s strong, and I thought it would be more useful to give her a pack to follow.”  
  
“Very generous of you, Erik, but I believe I told you to find the mole and kill it, not lend it a bleeding heart.”  
  
Again he felt the pack master step on his pride. It was a tribute to his great patience that he hadn’t snapped yet. He glanced back at the mansion and heard the pounding of his own heart in his ears as he scrambled for something to cling to. A bone he could throw Shaw to calm the man’s blood-thirsty attitude.  
  
“Professor Xavier cooperated with me willingly and immediately stopped the publication of his book. He’s no longer a liability.”  
  
“He knows about us, Erik,” Shaw’s voice tipped low and dangerous. “That is a liability for all of us, and I have other packs demanding that we take care of this.”  
  
“What other packs?” Erik growled fiercely. “I know for a fact that no one was up in arms when the child in the north revealed herself to her human boyfriend.”  
  
Shaw grunted at that. “You know as well as I do that there were politics at play there. She was the pack master’s daughter, and they are much more liberal up there. Besides, as I recall, that boy was under house arrest for two years and is still not allowed to leave his home without a Were escort.”  
  
Ideas how to keep Charles and Raven out of trouble flashed through his head, but the important thing was not to sound desperate in front of the Alpha. If Shaw even suspected something was out of place he would show no mercy, and the fact that Erik had left the Xavier siblings alive for so long was already a severe sign of vulnerability.  
  
So he held his tongue, quietly fuming while Sebastian Shaw hummed into the line. “Kill the human, Erik. If you like, offer his sister a place in our pack. If she doesn’t take you up on it, kill her as well,” his pack master decreed, and Erik felt the beginnings of nausea fill his gut.  
  
“I expect to see you within a few days,” Shaw continued. “I’ve missed our best hunter, and of course you know that the annual hunt is coming up quickly.”  
  
Erik closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Yes, pack master.”  
  
“I’ll see you then.” Shaw sounded extremely pleased with himself as the line clicked.  
  
The world around him faded with Shaw’s voice. His limbs felt numb as snapped the phone shut. Self-loathing and fear clouded his head, and his heart was racing. For the first time, Erik felt truly at a loss for what to do. Just standing in front of the Xavier’s mansion felt wrong. He wasn’t sure what he would do if Charles or Raven came outside right then.  
  
His anger was bubbling over in his gut and he felt like snapping at anyone and everyone.  
  
The sound of Pietro snarling quietly came from where the kennel lay hidden behind the trees. Erik’s own lips twisted into a sneer. “Yeah, I hate me too right now,” he snapped, and slowly the feeling crept back into his legs as he started to walk towards the wood, following along the fence of the kennel.  
  
He needed to come up with a plan, one that would protect the Xavier siblings from Shaw.  He had to go where he could be in his element -- the woods, where his mind was clearest, where he could run in his wolf form.  
  
As he moved a rustle of leaves came from the pen next to him. He shot it a sideways glare and saw Pietro watching him cautiously.  
  
Erik didn’t care if the wolf saw him change, and with one last glance at the mansion to make sure no one else could see, he shrugged his shoulders and began to shift.  
  
\---  
  
Charles stared at the computer screen, and then stared some more. He’d been staring at it for a good thirty minutes, to take a break from looking down at a blank piece of paper.  Before that, he’d spent an equal amount of time blinking aimlessly at the ceiling.  
  
Pietro’s case was a difficult one: the wolf was too aggressive to work with directly. There were different methods for working with an abused animal.  In Pietro’s case, the first issue to deal with was if he could be released into the wild, which meant he had to be sociable with the other wolves. In the past he’d put two wolves in the same pen, letting them interact under his watchful eye and work out their boundaries and social interactions the natural way.  
  
At the moment, the Reserve had no wolves Charles felt comfortable with putting in the same area as the Mexican Grey or even five feet away from his pen. Rogue had her puppies, the Ice Queen had an inhospitable mean bite to her, and Cyclops was still injured. The other wolf would be at a disadvantage if Pietro decided to get aggressive, and Charles was sure someone would get hurt.  
  
If the Mexican Grey couldn’t rejoin the wild, he’d have to live out the rest of his days on the estate, which meant he needed to get used to being around humans. The worst thing Charles could have on his estate was a wolf that was a danger to the people who visited or worked at the Reserve.  
  
With a wolf who had been as abused as Pietro, he didn’t know exactly where to start.  
  
Moira came in halfway through his unproductive musings, bringing her bright smile and fresh ideas. But even with her sitting across from him as he explained the situation and every possible angle, they were unable to shed an ounce of light on the predicament.  
  
“Maybe…” she mused, slowly cupping her chin in the palm of her hand, “...if we had a stuffed wolf, something that smelled and looked like the real thing, we could use that to see how he’ll interact. Just to test his aggression.”  
  
Charles hummed in agreement but rubbed at his eyes as he said, “That’s a great idea, but I don’t know where to find a stuffed wolf. You know I don’t have anything like that on the property.”  
  
“Then get a stuffed animal, Charles.”  
  
“It would take days to get the thing to smell like a real wolf and not like a factory.”  
  
Moira sighed. “Why can’t we just walk Gandalf or Saruman near the pen, like we usually do?”  
  
“Because I’m afraid Pietro will give one of them a heart attack,” Charles answered with a joking smile.  
  
Moira giggled behind her hand and rolled her eyes. “So you named him Pietro?”  
  
“Erik named him, actually,” Charles said evenly, causing the woman sitting across from him to stare.  
  
“Did he now?” Moira hummed as she shifted in her seat. “I wonder why he picked that name.”  
  
“You would have to ask him.”  
  
“Charles,” Moira’s started, her voice light, but Charles recognized a hint of her no-nonsense tone lingering underneath. She hated when people played coy with her, and he generally prided himself on not being one of those people. But then again, he also never lied to the woman and that had also changed after meeting Erik.  
  
He played it safe, saying nothing but still looking up and locking eyes with his colleague. Moira had a stern expression set in her pretty lips. “Charles, I think I’ve waited long enough for you to give me a explanation on your own, but I can’t stay silent anymore. I think you and I are close enough that you can tell me why Erik Lehnsherr has decided to stay here indefinitely.”  
  
Charles let out a sharp breath and hoped that for once his emotions wouldn’t slip across his face. “He’s not here indefinitely,” he replied easily, remembering Erik’s resolve to leave without any connection. Luckily Moira distracted him from the memory’s lingering sting.  
  
“Oh really? Then when is he leaving?” Moira crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. She easily fell into the role of a mother lecturing a child, and Charles knew that someday when she did have kids they would fear their mother’s wrath. Moira MacTacggart had a knack for picking up when something didn’t smell right.  
  
“As soon as he finishes his article. I’m sure letting him pick the name will guarantee us a glowing review.” The justification sounded weak even to his own ears, but he wasn’t expecting Moira to actually laugh at it.  
  
“Glowing review? Come on, Charles, when have you ever done anything for a glowing review?”  
  
He gaped silently. “I know how to butter people up.”  
  
“Yeah, but that’s just your default setting. If you do flirt with someone, it’s never to further your business. I’ve known you for years - give me some credit.” She shook her head softly, long brunette hair falling over her shoulders as she did so.  
  
Charles swallowed. “I’m sorry, Moira, you’re right,” he admitted. She deserved _something_ \- not the whole truth, but more lies would just make Moira more suspicious. “Erik is… well, interested in more than wolves.”  
  
Moira huffed in mild irritation. “I figured that much, Charles,” she chided, but still he felt proud that he hadn’t lied completely. He would let her draw her own conclusions - that had nothing to do with Werewolves or the fact that Erik was the reason his book wasn’t going to the publishers.  
  
“I just want to know,” Moira continued, “is this going to be a long term thing, or is Lehnsherr snooping around for a better story?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the prospect.  
  
“What? No,” Charles’ brows rose then narrowed at the accusation. “I can handle myself just fine, Moira.”  
  
Moira blew out a short-tempered snort but her shoulders fell in defeat. “Fine. I’m just trying to watch out for you, Charles.”  
  
The words warmed his heart and he couldn’t stop himself from reaching over and grasping her hand in a warm grip. “Thank you, dear. I do appreciate the concern, but let me worry about Erik.”  
  
Moira smiled as if the idea was laughable, before she said, “Charles, that man will eat you alive if you let him.”  
  
He barely managed to hold in his own choked laughter. Moira had no idea how right she was.  
  
\---  
  
Charles insisted on feeding the new arrival, while he allowed Sean and Alex to divide up the care of the rest of the wolves between them. Pietro’s supplements had to be precise, a mixture of vitamins, and two types of the kibble Charles kept on the property. It was to also be a little more than the usual breakfast supplement to help with the wolf’s malnourishment. He’d rather handle the new, complicated addition to the numerous other chores himself than give the boys one more thing to remember. And if something went wrong, he would take the blame instead of having Moira yell at the boys.  
  
He carried the large rubber trough in both hands as he walked across the lawn. Behind him he could hear the shuffle of Sean dumping the food into each kennel, with a swiftness that had taken him months to achieve. Alex toted the water hose behind him, a task he enjoyed. Filling the water buckets took a lot longer than the food, but from what Charles observed, the blond enjoyed having quiet time just watching the wolves.  Dinner time was the perfect opportunity to do so, coaxing the animals out of their usual hiding places.  
  
As he approached Pietro’s kennel, the expected growls were conspicuously absent. Charles eagerly peered through the thick chicken wire, trying to spot the light colored wolf. He shook the food in his hand encouragingly and whistled to coax the wolf to step out.    
  
Charles was prepared to quickly dump the food and step away before the wolf had a chance to snap, but it seemed Pietro was still sluggish from the sedatives and probably pouting in the far corner of the pen.  
  
Like the other enclosures, the feeding trough was latched onto the lower side of the pen, allowing the animal handlers to unlock it and pull out the entire bin, refill, and replace it out of reach of the wolf’s sharp teeth. He was prepared for Pietro to snap at him anyway as soon as he started to slide out the bin, but there was still no sign of the wolf. Charles frowned and looked around suspiciously.  
  
At that exact moment a low growl came from the edge of the kennel. He looked up, expecting to see Pietro crouched behind the gate and glaring at him, but instead saw a larger, darker colored wolf peering at him with intense steel-blue eyes.  
  
He just barely kept himself from hurling the food bowl at the animal before Charles came to his senese and released an annoyed sigh, “Erik…”  
  
The wolf’s ears perked up, and then Pietro stepped out from the behind the large pile of rocks they’d placed in his pen for climbing. The Mexican Grey gave Charles and Erik cautious looks as he crept up to his food bowl and sniffed.  
  
Charles knew he should tear his eyes away from Erik and take note of Pietro. The first meal was a crucial time for making sure the wolf adapted into his new home, but the dark wolf before him was staring unashamedly and Charles found himself staring back.  
  
“What are you doing?” he finally asked, his voice a vicious whisper, before he whipped his head around to make sure neither Alex nor Sean were looking in their direction. “Someone will see you…”  
  
He looked back at Erik, and the Were tilted his head questioningly. Charles let out a harsh breath. “Aren’t you the one who’s all about keeping secrets?”  
  
The air around them shifted imperceptibly, and before Charles could even wonder what was going on, the wolf in front of him started to change. He’d seen Raven transform only a few times in his life, when they were children and it felt like a magic trick. Over the years, Raven’s had secrets become something they guarded more carefully, and the moments when she shifted were few. Charles was rarely there when she did, and those few times she respected his squeamishness towards her nudity and ducked behind a tree.  
  
Erik had no qualms over such things. Only a low bush partly shielded him as his wolf body began to stretch and shrink in on itself at the same time. His hair shortened back to nothing more than the usual tuft on his head, chest, and a patch down below. His strong wolf jaws turned into Erik’s usual handsome chin and cheekbones, but his eyes remained the same from the moment they closed as a wolf to when they reopened as a man.  
  
Then Erik was staring back at him, stretching lazily and looking unconcerned. Charles, on the other hand, could feel the flies buzzing near his open mouth as he gawked.  
  
Erik was unusually quiet, which was the only reason the biologist had enough time to gather his wits and scramble to his feet. He hoped his body would be enough to shield the man from the interns. “Erik,” he hissed. “What are you doing?”  
  
“I needed to think,” Erik answered simply. It seemed to be something he did often - running off in his wolf form to think about one thing or another. Charles would have to confront him about such a dangerous habit another time. Right now he had a naked man staring at him from behind a bush and a new wolf who seemed to be only snuffling at his food. “And then you came back. We need to talk.”  
  
“Was it so important that you had to transform in the open? In front of Pietro?” he asked, then threw his head back and groaned, “Oh god, you did it in front of Pietro. What does that usually do to a wolf? Do wild wolves recognize you as one of them, or are they intimidated by Weres? Because Erik, the last thing we want to do is intimidate him.”  
  
Erik blinked at him quietly before answering, “I’ve never transformed in front of wild wolves before coming here, so I honestly don’t know.”  
  
The professor bit back another groan. “Of course you don’t,” he said looking back down at Pietro, who was now turning away from his dinner to retreat back behind the boulder. The wolf was strangely quiet. “Pietro’s calmed down,” Charles noted then looked back at Erik with wide eyes. “Did you have something to do with this?”  
  
“We… kept each other company while I thought,” Erik explained, still looking uneasy. Charles attributed that to the fact that the man was standing naked outside in autumn, with only the woods for cover.  
  
Then he realized what the Werewolf had just told him. “You two kept each other company?” He nearly let out a hysterical giggle as he looked back and forth between the pen and Erik. “Oh my God, of course! I don’t have to use stuffed wolves or animals when I have you and Raven! You could be the perfect bridge for building Pietro’s social skills!”  
  
“Charles…”  
  
“Of course, I’d need to work out the logistics of how to get you and Raven to transform and be near him with everyone else around. I suppose I could do some late nights, but I wonder if that would affect Pietro’s sleeping patterns and…”  
  
“Charles…”  
  
“I guess I should ask you if you’re okay with it, Erik. He seems to have taken to you, at least I assume so. He’s not snapping and snarling every two minutes, so I suppose that means that…”  
  
“Charles!” Erik barked out so suddenly it that Charles’ mouth slammed shut with an audible click. Erik looked just as wide eyed and horrified as he felt as the shout echoed over the Estate.  
In the distance, Charles heard Sean call out, “Professor? Is everything alright?”  
  
The thick lump in his throat was unnerving and hard to swallow but Charles managed to do so as he quickly worked to compose himself. He turned away from Erik to call back over his shoulder, “Everything is fine, Sean! If you’re done, go back inside, I’ll be there in a minute.”  
  
They waited for the sound of the back door opening and closing. Erik’s eyes gazed past Charles’s shoulder, tracking Sean and Alex’s shadows as they made their way inside. It gave them both the time they needed to calm down. Charles realized his mistake - he had let his mind wander to one of the many concerns piled on his plate and not the newest one that had just presented itself.  
  
He blinked rapidly at the ground and licked his lips. He could hear the crunch of twigs as Pietro stalked around his pen before the wolf leapt up on the boulder and stared at the two men.  
  
Erik sighed quietly and had the decency to look ashamed at losing control. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have yelled.”  
  
“I’m sorry too,” Charles admitted before the silence draped itself back over them. He licked his lips nervously, unsure why tension hung in the air between them. The discomfort between them was almost comedic, with a wolf staring at them and Erik still standing naked.  
  
“Maybe we should continue this discussion inside…” he suggested, sensing a change of scenery would be much needed.  
  
Erik shook his head. “You didn’t ask what it was that I needed to think about,” he started, voice rough but still unusually soft. “Last time it was the first question out of your mouth.”  
  
“Oh…” Charles faltered, staring at the man in front of him.  
  
“My pack master called,” Erik blurted out suddenly, unable to look him in the eye.  
  
“Oh…” Charles breathed again and closed his eyes. Suddenly it was clear why he had been so eager to change the subject from Erik’s much needed time alone. Unconsciously he had expected the bad news, and the heartbreak that would come with it.  
  
And then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, Erik said, “They want me to kill you.”  
  
\---  
Fear and disbelief covered Charles’ face. His bright blue eyes opened at Erik’s last words and stared at him surreally. Erik felt his own heart curl itself into a tight ball at the sight.  
  
For a moment, he thought Charles was going to bolt. He looked so much like a rabbit, seen by a predator ready to devour him, and Erik’s instincts reacted in kind. He couldn’t let Charles get away, he still had more to tell him.  
  
He stepped out from the cover of the woods quickly, and saw the man before him take two quick steps back. When he reached out Charles flinched, raising an arm to protect himself and offering Erik something to grasp easily. Charles didn’t scream though, didn’t call for help or cry out like a whimpering animal. Erik could feel that his muscles were fully tensed, even under the thick sleeve of his large barn coat, flexed and ready to fight back if need be. Until then, Charles was giving him a chance to explain himself, to prove himself, and Erik took the opportunity to pull the man against his bare chest and bury his nose into thick brown hair.  
  
“I have a plan,” he said fast and hurried. “Don’t worry, Charles, I have a plan.”  
  
“A plan?” Charles repeated, his breath warm as it brushed against Erik’s bare skin. He sounded unsure. “You would betray your pack, Erik? That doesn’t sound like you.”  
  
He shook his head. “No, Charles, I’m not going to betray my pack, because I’ve decided I no longer belong to them.”  
  
The small man in his arms tensed and pulled back, and Erik allowed Charles the room to look up at him, blue eyes full of caution and confusion. “What?”  
  
“As soon as I can, I’m going to return to Miami, and I’m going to tell them I killed you,” Erik explained. “If Raven can, she should come with me. It will be more believable to tell them that I am starting my own pack with her. Once they let me leave, I’ll come back here and we’ll…” he licked his lips, searching Charles face for any clue what the man was thinking as he finished, “We can just live out the rest of our days here.”  
  
“But I won’t be dead,” Charles ventured. “What will happen when your pack finds out that you lied to them?”  
  
Erik snorted as if the idea were laughable. “I fully expect them to, and when they do I won’t be under Shaw’s rule anymore. I’ll challenge them if I have to, but wars between packs are not something the Were community generally smiles upon, and Shaw will be seen as weak for attacking a newly formed pack.”  
  
“I thought you said your pack master wouldn’t let you go so easily?” Charles asked, his eyes deep as they searched Erik’s face. “What makes you think he’ll let you go now?”  
  
“We have to try, Charles,” he protested. “If he doesn’t let me leave, then I can challenge him. It’ll give Raven enough time to come back here and get you to safety. I’m sorry, but it is the only way.”  
  
“I still don’t get it,” the smaller man breathed, his head bent down to where it was eye level with the crook of Erik’s neck. Then the Were felt the human push against him for release, and Erik granted it, watching carefully as Charles untangled himself and stepped back. “Why would you do all that?”  
  
Erik barked out a laugh, “Are you always this dense, Charles? I have found a new pack. One which I want to protect, and live in. Right here…”  
  
Charles frowned, “But your…”  
  
“I’ll prove it to you,” the Were said suddenly, stepping close again and dipping his head low so his mouth grazed the curve of Charles’ ear. He felt the man shiver against him, and knew that this was right. This was what he was protecting. This was how it felt to be an alpha and have a family. “Let me prove it to you.”  
  
“How?” Charles asked, voice breathless with wonder and lust.  
  
Erik smiled against him and without another word tugged Charles into the woods.  
  
\---  
  
It was hard to concentrate with Erik attacking his neck like a precious fruit, whose juice he just couldn’t get enough of. The Were at least had enough sense to carry him a few yards farther into the woods, past Pietro’s kennel, before dumping Charles on the ground in a relatively open area.  
  
Dry grass poked at his back as Erik laid him down and immediately began to reattach himself to Charles’ neck. The professor laughed weakly and worked to get some space between them. “Erik… Erik, slow down. What are you doing?” He had allowed himself to be carried into the woods, even allowed his defenses to be weakened by Erik’s soft lips and tender touches. His heart was beating fast against his chest. Charles felt a sense of wonder in the whole situation. One minute Erik was telling him that he was supposed to kill him, the very next minute lugging him into the woods for heated petting.  
  
He felt the other man sigh into his neck, and Erik’s bare erection rubbing against his thigh. Clearly the Were didn’t want to stop. He was already turned on, his skin radiating heat that Charles could feel even through his thick clothing, but still the Professor kept up his feeble plea for a moment’s pause, and Erik gave it to him.  
  
The tension in Erik’s body leaked out slowly as the man took a deep shuddering breath. “I want you, Charles,” he said, voice raw and animalistic. It was so low Charles felt as if it were vibrating from the ground beneath him.  
  
He drank in a large gulp of air and then said, “I know. I want you too but, Erik, I don’t have protection.”  
  
“That’s fine,” the Were said, leaning back so their eyes connected. “We don’t need it tonight.”  
  
“We don’t…” Charles blinked, trying to piece together the words. “Your plan is to have sex with me, and then leave me?”  
  
The smile tugging at Erik’s lips was unexpected, especially when Charles couldn’t hide the underlying outrage in his voice. “I plan on coming back, Charles. I’m going to mate with you right here and now so you know that I’ll come back. I could never leave my mate behind.”  
  
“Oh.” The words were oddly sweet and stole the breath right out of him. Charles’ head fell against the soft ground as the darkening sky loomed above him. Stars were already beginning to show against the purple. “You were so adamant about not mating before,” he said almost indifferently.  
  
Erik was still staring down at him, though the lust had melted away from his face, replaced with a strange softness. “That was then. This is now.”  
  
“Are you sure you want to?” The question spilled from his lips before he realized what he was saying.  
  
Erik flinched back as if struck, the pull of his mouth unreadable. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to, Charles,” he said.  
  
Charles shook his head. “No, no. I want to.” He flicked his gaze away from the stars and towards the flickering light in Erik’s eyes. “I just want to make sure _you_ do. Weres mate for life like wolves, do they not? And I’m human. I’m the human your pack wants dead, a threat to your kind, as you pointed out when we first met.”  
  
A guilty look washed across Erik’s face as the list grew, but Charles lifted a hand and gently cupped it against one of the Were’s prominent cheek bones. “It’s just hard for me to believe that you could really want me.”  
  
“Charles,” Erik sighed, leaning his head forward so their noses touched. Their foreheads bumped gently against each other and Charles murmured in response, closing his eyes and tilting his neck upwards just slightly.  
  
“Charles,” Erik repeated after a beat, “somehow in the last week that I’ve known you, you have managed to crawl under my skin and firmly buried yourself in my life. I think if I left I would never be able to forget you, or your sister, or this place. I want to settle down here, and I’ve never wanted that before. I want to settle down with you.”  
  
Charles laughed. “Well, now you’re making me sound like some pouty housewife,” he joked, watching Erik smile in the dim light of dusk. “Do you think we can at least do this inside?” he asked with an insistent squirm. “I mean, if we’re going to do this I’d like it to be in a soft bed.”  
  
“Boring,” Erik stated, taking a playful nip at his ear.  
  
Charles yelped in surprise and tried to bat him away. It was hard to forget that Erik was still wholly naked on top of him and ready for romping. Convincing the Were to move location would be difficult, but not impossible.  
  
“Erik, please. Everyone is going to wonder where I went - where _we_ went, once they notice you’re gone, and I told Sean and Alex I would be in shortly.”  
  
“Alright,” Erik huffed, placing an impatient kiss against Charles’ lips then pulling back with a low growl. “Alright, I see your point.”  
  
“I knew you were a man of reason,” Charles beamed, leaning up on his elbows as he watched Erik stand.  
  
As the man in front of him stretched to his impressive height, Charles felt his mouth go dry. Erik’s erection was still noticeably present, and a wave of guilt hit the Professor for being the reason why it was still unattended.  
  
Without any warning he moved to his knees and crawled closer to Erik. He managed to bury his face against the soft skin of the Were’s cock while his hands greedily grabbed a handful of ass. An elated growl came from the man above him. “There’s no reason I can’t help you with this before we go in,” he said, making sure his breath fell against the raging hard on.  
  
Erik made a noise between a whimper and a snarl. “Charles,” he said, voice low, but there was no argument.  
  
“I’m sure this won’t take long,” Charles hummed, licking at the head.  
  
Erik’s hands grabbed at his hair as he growled, “You sure about that?”  
  
“Positive,” Charles said and opened his mouth wide.  
  
\---  
  
For some reason the mansion was eerily quiet as Erik entered through the front door. The lights in the main foyer were off, with only a few lamps at the top of the staircase to illuminate the way. Erik gave the room a quick once over, then bounded up the stairs two at a time.  
  
Charles should be making his way through the back door, where the Professor argued that he needed to at least leave a note of explanation for Moira. Erik emphasized that the note should read ‘Do Not Disturb’ in bold letters, and Charles had smiled as if he was actually thinking it over.  
  
There was a strange tightness in his gut, not fear or anger but something Erik could only assume was nerves. It was a rare feeling for him. He never felt nervous, not while hunting or dealing with Shaw. Not while challenging another of his kind, or being off on his own. Feeling it now, Erik forced himself to slow his steps and collect himself.  
  
He was really going to do it. He was going to leave Shaw and start his own pack, and in that pack would be Charles, his mate. A shiver of anticipation came over him as he turned down Charles’ hallway and made his way to his lover’s room.  
  
The other part of his plan could wait until the morning. He would have to tell Raven everything, but he felt sure she would volunteer to help. There was time to face everything else later. Now he needed to mark what was his.  
  
His pack master had threatened the life of his potential mate, and a deep unseen part of Erik had been seething ever since. Coming up with a plan of action had been the first part of calming his nerves, but while lying next to the kennel, watching Pietro settle down behind his boulder, he had realized that he would never be rid of the fear of losing Charles unless he made the human his.  
  
His clothes from the morning easily peeled away from his body. It had been painful putting them back on before he could return to the house. Erik’s skin tangibly itched as he pulled the soft cotton over it. Even after Charles sucked him off, he had wanted to remain naked, to feel free like the animal he was.  
  
A soft knock fell on the door just as he was stepping out of his jeans. Erik perked up and turned to the door just in time to see Charles peek his head in and then squeeze his body through the narrow space, trying to keep as little light as possible from slipping out of the room.  
  
In the bedroom’s artificial light, Erik could clearly make out the fresh red of Charles’ lips, looking plump and slightly abused from their earlier activities. He also noticed the appreciative lingering gaze in Charles’ blue eyes.  
  
“No more interruptions?” Erik asked, eyeing Charles with hope and impatience.  
  
The other man shook his head. “No more interruptions.”  
  
“Good.” He threw his jeans to the ground without ceremony and stalked towards his prey. Charles backed up obediently until his back hit the door and Erik had him cornered. A thrill of adrenaline soared through the Were as he pressed his chest against Charles’, knowing the other man had nowhere else to go.  
  
Then he pressed his lips against the other’s, ferocious as his tongue darted into the heat of Charles’ mouth, where the aftertaste of own seed still lingered. He let out a pleased growl into his lover’s mouth and felt Charles open it wider in response.  
  
Wordlessly, he scooped up the smaller man. Their mouths remained locked onto each other and Charles twined his fingers through Erik’s short hair, scraping his fingernails against his scalp and sending pleasure tickling through Erik’s senses.  
  
Erik managed to carry the other man to the bed, where they spilled down onto the plush mattress together and Charles finally extracted his lips to let out a long-winded breath. Erik took the opportunity to weasel his hand under the professor’s thick sweater.  
  
Electricity bounced off his fingertips where they came in contact with Charles’ soft skin and the smaller man gasped as if he felt an electric shock. Erik shushed him softly as he lifted the sweater up more and began to nuzzle the soft skin in quiet apology, while his skilled fingers fiddled with Charles’ pants.  
  
Their panting mingled together, filling the room as Erik worked on getting Charles naked. He tugged off the pants with little struggle, but the layers of sweaters were a little more difficult. Erik muttered a curse under his breath while Charles laughed.  
  
“Why do you insist on layering up so much?”  
  
“Some of us don’t have fur to keep us warm.”  
  
Erik looked up at him, eyebrows lifted in amusement while Charles just huffed and shook his hand. “You know what I mean.”  
  
“Mmm, yes I do.” The smile stayed on his lips even as he started prodding Charles to lie on his stomach. The professor blinked, but did as he was prompted. Their foreplay was lasting a little too long for Erik. He could feel the heat in his tailbone and ears, and felt that his body was reaching an impasse. Sex or shift.  
  
He ran a firm hand over Charles’ ass, cupping its curve in the palm of his hand and squeezing. Beneath him Charles moaned at the touch and lifted his buttocks in a ready position. Erik groaned at the sight. He knew what this would do to him, taking a person from behind like an animal. It struck a certain chord in his brain.  
  
He reached over to the bedside table where the lube they usually used sat. Putting a generous amount of his fingers, he inserted the first digit. Charles’ muscles were still tight, but the finger slipped in easily. Erik let out a shaky breath as Charles’ panting reached his ear and inserted the second finger.  
  
The digits moved slowly at first, giving Charles time to adjust. The man shifted at the sensation and cursed nonsensically. “God… Erik…”  
  
“One more,” Erik breathed, pushing in the third finger. It was a little harder than just two, but his partner needed to feel the stretch and get used to it if he was going to take the length of his cock.  
  
Charles made a slight disgruntled sound, but quickly started moaning again. He buried his face in the sheets spread out around them. Instinctually he spread his legs, giving Erik the extra room he needed.  
  
“I’m ready,” Charles gasped, sounding desperate and needy. Erik felt his own hardened erection twitch in response. He rubbed it against one of Charles’ thighs, causing them both to moan at the same time. It was music to his ears.  
  
“I hope you’re not lying, Charles, because I can’t wait anymore,” he gritted out, pulling his fingers out with a wet pop before applying the lube to his bare cock.  
  
Charles pushed back, trying to press against the awaiting penis. They touched briefly and it took all of Erik’s strength not to shove his hard-on into the smaller man with no restraint. He did press a hand against Charles’ shoulder to keep him steady. “Patience…” he murmured as he started to guide himself in.  
  
A husky chuckle escaped the brunet. “Patience… coming from you?” He wiggled then moaned as the head slid into him. “Ooh, Erik.”  
  
“Goddammit, Charles,” Erik cursed, though he wasn’t quite sure why. Slowly, he eased himself in and felt Charles tighten around his cock. The sensation sent a surge of energy through him, tightening in his balls and carrying to his gut. It didn’t feel like a orgasm, but it was as powerful as one.  
  
He couldn’t help but double over Charles’ back while beneath him the Professor gasped and called out, “Erik?”  
  
“Its okay…” he panted, still moving his hips. Charles’ concern turned into a pleasured moan and Erik smiled. “I just felt our connection.”  
  
“Is that what… that was…” Charles sounded, barely coherent as he shivered into the sheets. He still pressed back into Erik, accepting all of him.  
  
As soon as his entire length was inside Erik took a moment to pause, and then drew back and began to thrust. Charles’ head shot up and he let out a startled yelp.  
  
Their bodies found the rhythm that gave them both the most leverage. Charles’ bucking and withering was a turn on like nothing else, and suddenly Erik felt his building orgasm spark through him.  
  
At the same time, he reached down and grasped Charles’ erection in his hand. The man moaned and picked up the pace of his thrusting to match Erik’s. “Yes, there,” he encouraged as the Were groped him.  
  
“Erik, I’m about to come if you keep that…”  
  
“Me too,” he growled, catching the soft skin of Charles’ ear between his teeth.  
  
The scientist cried out, and for a startling moment Erik feared he may have hurt the other man, but then he felt the warm liquid seep between his fingers and the muscles in Charles’ back relaxed.  
  
His hand quickly moved from the spent cock to the underside of his lover’s belly, holding him in place while Erik continued to pound into him. Charles made sweet mewling noises at the sensation, which pushed him over the edge.  
  
His own seed spilled into the man beneath him, and Erik felt an overwhelming feeling of completeness as he finished. It was the most powerful orgasm he had ever had, numbing him down to his toes while the edge of his vision brimmed with white. For a heart-stopping second, Erik thought he might pass out. His muscles did seize up, but he used Charles’ back to keep his position.  
  
After two deep breaths the feeling passed, and he knew without a doubt that he had just mated with a human.  
  
\---  
  
They took a well deserved nap after the ordeal. Erik fell asleep almost immediately, curling on his side and wrapping his body around Charles as if the professor were some small toy that he couldn’t bear to part with. One of his big hands soothed over the other man’s stomach, an unconscious movement that Charles found both endearing and a little alarming, but after some time it slowly helped lure him to sleep.  
  
He still had questions. Erik had his plan, but Charles wanted to work through it step by step. If Erik was serious about leaving his pack, there could be no mistakes. The Were had broken a taboo of his old pack for him, and Charles would be damned if it would be in vain.  
  
A life with Erik, staying on the Reserve permanently, sounded almost too good to be true. The professor still clung to a hope that the Were could be the key Pietro’s recovery, and maybe the recovery of future wolves. The man had proven that when Charles had found him lurking beside the wolf’s kennel. It was strangely suitable that the Mexican Grey would feel the most at ease with the man who named him.  
  
Charles fell asleep to the plans of one wolf’s recovery and the life he hoped to make with another. He slept deeply and undisturbed for a few good hours.  
  
That was, until the sound of multiple screeching howls woke him up.

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for being so patient. I'm really sorry about the wait, its finals week here and I'm also graduating so there is a lot going on for both my and my editor. Hopefully we got everything (but to be honest as soon as she finished I posted this. So I'll probably reread it again later.)
> 
> WARNINGS for this chapter: Character death, violence, and possible tear jerker (depends how well I write.) 
> 
> One last disclaimer, err... don't hate me by the end of this chapter? That's all. Enjoy?!?!?

****  
  
Charles became aware of the noise just as Erik was sitting up beside him.  The eerie sound of the howls brought a ringing to his ears. He had heard something similar before, on nights in the woods of Canada.  The pack he was studying had found a weakened dear and made the call signaling food. He swallowed hard and sweeped the covers off his body before flinging his feet out of bed. The urge to check on the animals overrode any lingering signs of sleep.  
  
“What is it?” Erik asked.  He still sat in bed, his body taut as he leaned towards the window as if he could pick up on the problem simply by listening closer. After a moment he was also lifting his body out of the bed and moving to pull on a pair of jeans.  
  
Charles threw on a pair of old sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt as he answered. “I have no idea. They usually howl at night, but something is wrong. They sound distressed.”  
  
“Maybe another deer?” Erik asked. Charles whirled around, but in the bedroom’s dim light he caught sight of the tight line in his lover’s jaw. The Were’s eyes were wider than usual, betraying the unease the man was trying hard to hide.  
  
“Maybe,” he assented, “but I’ll feel better if we can check.”  
  
“Agreed.”  
  
Charles moved towards the bedroom door, but Erik’s tall body easily stepped in front of him before he reached it and blocked his path. Charles looked up in time for Erik’s hand to cup under his jaw and bring him in for a lingering kiss. He heard the other man take in a sharp inhale at the contact, and felt the smile pull across Erik’s shaped lips even as they kissed. When they pulled apart the Werewolf licked his chops obscenely then put on a reassuring smile.  
  
“Don’t worry,” he said, voice dropping to a soft purr that Charles had never heard him use. It was a tone specifically for him, and that thought warmed him.  
  
He swallowed the panic and worry that had been building in his throat- that he could still see on the edges of Erik’s eyes and were probably mirrored in his own. The warm hand that still cupped his chin let go to trail down Charles’ chest, ghosting over the ruff cotton on his shirt before it rested on the waistband of his sweats.  
  
“I’m not,” he answered, his voice filled with all the confidence Charles couldn’t feel.  
  
They stepped out into the hallway together. The carpet was cold against their bare feet as they padded towards the stairway. Charles let Erik lead the way. There was no danger in the house, but if it made Erik feel better he wouldn’t speak up.  
  
A sharp click echoed through the hallway as a door opened and closed behind them, and immediately they both stopped. He heard Erik sniff the air, checking to see who the visitor was before Raven called out, “Charles?”  
  
He felt a strange mix of relief and anxiety rush over him. Charles spun around, reassuring words already on the tip of his tongue when he saw that Raven wasn’t alone. Hank McCoy loomed by her side, giving an embarrassed wave. Charles took in the young people’s state of near undress: Raven just wearing simple shorts and a tank top, Hank’s entire chest bare and a good deal of his long legs showing before his boxers peeked into view. A lamp hanging near Hank’s head illuminated the dark marks across his neck.  
  
Charles blinked, while Erik’s involuntary growl behind him was almost lost to the wolf cries that still hung in the background. “Raven,” he greeted automatically, trying to keep the surprise out of his voice. At the way her cheek twitched in irritation, he assumed he had failed on that account. “Hank,” he nodded to her companion, giving the young man a meaningful look.  
  
Hank squinted back at him, his glasses presumably still in Raven’s bedroom. “Oh Charles, good to see you. The…er, wolves woke us up.” He gave a weak attempt at a smile as he pointed outside, “Is something wrong, do you think?”  
  
“I’m not sure…” Charles answered, his brain struggling to remember the issue at hand while his little sister was standing in front of him nearly naked with his vet.  He’d always known, of course, that Raven and Hank fancied each other, that it was just a matter of time before they acted on their feelings. But it was a little disorienting to know that while he and Erik had been together, Raven had been with Hank.  
  
His face must have betrayed his thoughts again, because Raven sighed. Throwing back her mane of blonde hair, she said, “Jesus, Charles, get your mind out of the gutter. Remember the _animals_?”  
  
He blinked. “Right, the animals.” He turned around, finding it easier to concentrate when his sister wasn’t standing in front of him with her nights activities as easy to read as one of his books. But then again, Charles very much doubted that he looked any less guilty. He was sure a few of Erik’s love bites were in plain sight on his neck, without his collared shirts to hide them, and of course his sister had her sense of smell.  
  
Erik was still giving the young couple a disapproving look, and Raven snorted before snapping, “Like _you_ should talk.”  
  
Charles gently grabbed the man’s elbow before he could make a retort. “We should go,” he said, trying to keep the blush on his cheeks in check. So she _had_ figured things out.  
  
Erik shrugged his stiff shoulders dismissively and led the way towards the kitchen. Charles followed, with the the sound of Raven and Hank’s soft steps keeping an even pace behind them.  
  
When they walked into the kitchen they were surprised by the sight of Darwin and Alex sitting at the table, huddled close together with their heads bent low. Both were still dressed for bed, just a casual hoodie covering Alex’s bare chest while Darwin at least wore a beaten shirt.  
  
They looked up as the group entered,  Alex’s face reading relief while Darwin’s dark brows were still bent in concern. “We heard the noise,” the older boy said, “figured we’d meet you down here.”  
  
“This doesn’t normally happen? Does it?” Alex asked, clearly trying to lighten the mood until his eyes fell on Raven and Hank hovering in the doorway just behind Charles. His eyes widened in surprise, “Damn McCoy, you and Professor’s sister?”  
  
“Now is not the time,” Erik snapped irritably, stalking to the large glass door that led into the backyard.  
  
Alex’s eyes landed on Charles, who shrugged his shoulders and answered, “No, this doesn’t usually happen. I am sorry it woke everyone up. Something has stirred them up. Better check on it now.”  
  
From where he stood peering through the glass door, Erik turned his head and shook it. “Nothing from what I can see, but I’ll come out with you to check.”  
  
Charles flashed him an appreciative smile. “Thank you, but I think that would be a bad idea.”  
  
Immediately the Were’s brows narrowed in disapproval, and Charles could feel the same emotion radiating off Raven behind him. He threw back at his sister, “Same goes for you. If it _is_ another crazed fanatic, I do _not_ want either of you to break another arm. Or hurt them further.”  
  
Darwin’s surprised “Crazed fanatic?” was overshadowed as Raven scoffed, “If it _is_ some lunatic, he _deserves_ something broken. What idiot sneaks onto private property at two in the morning?”  
  
The look on Erik’s face said that he more than agreed, but Charles shot him a look he hoped left no room for argument. “It should be nothing more than a quick check, and if it _is_ , you’re more than welcome to come out and help assist. But I think Alex and Darwin will be more than enough to see to the problems.”  
  
The two perked up at the sound of their names, both nodding solemnly. Charles walked over to the coat rack and grabbed the extra old flannels that hung there. He handed them out and watched Alex and Darwin slip into the sandals he’d left by the door. Darwin’s pair looked a little too small for him, but he didn’t complain. When they were finished, they both looked at Charles eagerly and he forced a bright smile. “Ready?”  
  
They nodded and he pushed open the back door, trying not to look back at Erik leaning against the counter and attempting to hide the displeasure from his face. Raven had strategically placed herself between the other Were and Hank, who still looked nervous.  
  
Outside the air had dropped to the low forties. Charles huffed out as the sound of howling grew incredibly loud without the barrier of the mansion to muffle it. It dug under his skin and made him frown. Darwin nudged his elbow, causing him to look back. “You two handle the older wolves. I’ll check on Pietro. We had a deer near the property a little while ago, so it might be nothing, just look around.”  
  
After he’d given the orders, they went their separate directions. Alex said something quickly to Darwin before jogging off towards Cyclop’s pen. Charles started towards Pietro’s area, on the far end of the property.  
  
As he passed the other wolves he gave them quick, careful glances. Alex was already by Cyclop’s pen, cooing to him and checking the surrounding area. Rogue looked frazzled, pacing the length of her enclosure and taking in Charles as he passed by with apprehensive eyes before letting out a loud howl.  
  
As he neared the new pen, he could pick out Pietro’s distinct howl - shrill and cracked just slightly. Then the wolf growled, a low rumbling sound that urged Charles to walk faster. When he reached the fence, he immediately saw a flash of movement as Pietro came up to see him. Of course, the wolf remained his usual distance from the wires, but he kept up a soft growl. Not with his usual aggression, which Charles took as a hopeful sign.  
  
“Well, I guess you’re okay then,” he said with a relieved sigh as Pietro continued his low grumblings. In the not-so-far distance, another yowl broke out.  
  
His eyes gazed around the area, just to be sure as he said, “I guess if everything’s alright here, I’ll go see how the others are doing.”   
  
“Ah, it’s the Professor,” a smooth voice called over the noise of the animals. Charles froze at the sound. It wasn’t any of the children, but it still sounded vaguely familiar. Slowly he turned.  
  
Standing at the other end of the pen stood the truck driver from earlier. Victor had changed into more comfortable clothes, a long-sleeved button-down with a t-shirt peeking underneath and jeans. It was a bit of an improvement from the stranger Charles had found naked on the property not too long ago. Or so he thought, until he noticed the gun clutched in Victor’s left hand.  
  
The man followed his eyes down to the weapon and smiled. “Oh, this? Don’t worry about this. It's just here to make the job easier.”  
  
An overpowering numbness blocked the panic from fully blooming in his head, but the other man’s words slowly dawned on him as he croaked out, “Job?”  
  
The driver laughed. “Please, Professor, you’re a smart man. I think we both know why I’m here.” his gun hand moved making it glint in the moonlight. “A gun is easier to explain away than a wolf bite, don’t you agree?”  
  
Victor was right about that - it didn’t take a lot of effort to figure out why he had been sent, and there was no mistaking that the man was a Were. The question was by _who_. It couldn’t have been Erik’s pack - they had appointed that honor to Charles’ lover. He could only assume that it was one of the other packs Erik had mentioned who were also unhappy with his research.  
  
If he ran or yelled, the man in front of him would effortlessly gun him down, but if he stayed in place he was still as good as dead. Victor was well hidden by the shadows the forest provided, which had kept Charles from seeing the man at first, and would make it nearly impossible for anyone near the house to see him.  
  
With a cruel smile the bulky man stepped out from behind the pen, careful to remain hidden under the cover of the night.. Pietro was startled by his movement and snapped out at him. The smile widened. “I’ve heard a lot about you Professor. It was a pleasure to met my prey before I get to actual do a job.” his eyes slanted down towards Pietro where they narrowed, “Tell me, do you think of us as the same as your little pets? Something that can be caged up and studied?”  
  
The words made Charles blink. “I’m sorry?”  
  
“It makes me sick, that you think it’s your place to write about us. Trying to understand us. Like we’re _animals_ …”  
  
“That wasn’t my intention,” stated the brunet firmly, his hands curling into fists while Victor stood his ground. The gun was raised and pointed at his chest, ready to end his life whenever the Were decided his job was done.  
  
“We’ll, I’m here to tell you we’re not what you think. We have laws, rules, customs - and you’ve stomped on them all. I don’t know why Lehnsherr didn’t finish this job when he first met you.”  
  
Charles reeled back. “How do you know Erik?”  
  
Victor carried on as if he hadn’t spoken at all. As if he were nothing more than the snarling animal beside him. The driver leaned on the nearby fence for support, and Charles’ eyes widened as soon as he realized what the man had just done. At the same time Pietro snapped, lunging for the fence with his teeth bared and mouth open in attack.  
  
The movement was quick and vicious, startling Victor, who had been too occupied with Charles to heed the animal in the pen. As Pietro connected with the fence, the Were jumped back, a curse flying from his lips as the gun’s aim fell from Charles and turned on the animal.  
  
Charles’ hoarse shouted “Don’t!” was drowned out by the pistol’s crashing bang.  
  
Pietro fell to the ground with a hard thud, a whimper audibly coming from him even while his body remained painfully still. Charles stared in horror, his mouth open while his heart stopped completely in mid-beat.  
  
Behind him he heard the worried voices of Darwin and Alex call out, “Professor!”  
  
Even Victor had the decency to look surprised at what he had done before his face stiffened and he turned back to Charles. “Didn’t want to waste the bullets,” he grumbled, starting to raise the gun again, “but what can you do?”  
  
Charles took a firm step back, his chest contracting with concern and rage. His eyes continued to flicker towards the wolf laying on the ground and the man standing in front of him. Victor let out a mocking laugh. “Don’t worry, Professor, you won’t have to mourn the dumb animal for long.”  
  
The thud of running footsteps echoed behind him, Alex and Darwin coming to his aid. But with the gun pointed squarely at his heart, Charles realized they wouldn’t make it in time.  
  
Something else joined the sound of running feet. He vaguely heard Alex behind him blurt out angrily “What the hell?” before a dark blur jumped past him. The smug look on Victor’s face shifted quickly again, as his eyes widened and the gun fell just a bit. He had only enough time to gasp out, “Lehnsherr,” before Erik was on him.  
  
Charles saw only the flash of white teeth gleaming in the dark night as Erik aimed for the man’s throat. To his surprise, Victor reacted quickly - when the wolf’s body collided with his own, he raised his arms to keep the animal’s snapping jaws away from anything vital and then used his superhuman strength to toss Erik over his shoulder.  
  
Charles’ heart lurched at the sight. A new-found courage surged through his limbs, moving his legs forward as he cried out, “Erik!”  
  
Erik landed on his feet, hackles raised and his steel-grey eyes sparkling with a ferocious gleam. Blood lust, Charles recognized. Victor scoffed at the animal in front of him and shifted into a wolf as well, taking the form of a incredibly large timber wolf - just as Alex and Darwin reached them.  
  
The older boy brushed his elbow lightly, urging him back.  Charles turned to get a good look at the two boys. Their faces were a mixture of worry, fear, and confusion. Alex’s eyes kept darting to Pietro’s limp form, and he looked as if he would dart over to the fence at any moment.  
  
Charles felt the same need, but now wasn’t the time for sudden movement. There were two snarling wolves in front of them, one of which he knew meant to do anyone and everyone harm. On top of all that, they had _seen_. They had seen Erik in his true form, and watched Victor change into the large grey timber wolf.  
  
Alex looked at him beseechingly, and all of Charles’ worries must have shown on his face because the boy stood still.  
  
One of the wolves snarled and Charles turned back to them just in time to see Victor spring at Erik. The two were pretty equal in size, with Victor’s form more muscular than Erik’s sleek and slender shape. The darker wolf held his ground, then their bodies collided and became one blur of teeth, claws, and fur.  
  
Werewolves didn’t fight like any other wolves Charles had seen. Wild wolves fought in a delicate dance, where there were rules and hardly any contact that could severely injure the other party. Real wolves fought to subdue. The creatures in front of him were fighting to the death. His mouth went dry at the thought. If Victor got the upper hand on Erik, if things took a turn for the worse…  
  
At the thought, his eyes immediately started darting around for a weapon. Darwin stiffened beside him. “What are you doing, Professor?” he asked in a hushed whisper. “Shouldn’t we… get out of here?”  
  
“I am NOT leaving,” Alex hissed behind him. Darwin didn’t respond.  
  
“Yes, you and Alex probably should,” Charles said, his mind finally kicking back into gear. Coming out of his initial shock was like a clearing fog. His eyes settled on where Victor had discarded his gun, an idea blossoming in his mind. He looked back at Darwin and thinned his lips determinedly. “I can’t leave him.”  
  
He moved towards the gun. A sickening feeling dropped into his stomach as his fingers curled around the cold metal. Charles abhorred such things. Moira kept one in her desk, locked away after the naked intruder incident, but it made Charles feel more anxious than safe. Now though, as the gun’s weight settled in his hand, he knew that if Victor turned his gaze on Darwin or Alex, or struck a deadly blow to Erik, it would be the key to their protection.  
  
His movement didn’t go unnoticed. Erik’s eyes glanced his way and Victor followed his gaze. The enemy wolf’s ears fell back across his head as he saw Charles with his weapon. He lifted the small pistol and pointed it at the Were, index finger curling around the trigger. It was at that moment that it hit Charles that he had never held a gun before, had no idea how to use it. He tried to keep his face free of the distressing emotions raging inside of him, and hoped Victor took his bluff to heart.  The fight stopped as suddenly as it had started. The howling had stopped, leaving the air thick with silence.  
  
“Erik…” Charles called out, his voice quieter than he had meant for it to be, but steady. That was a good thing. “What do you want to do now?”  
  
Erik eyed his opponent with a long considering look. If he wanted to, he could finish off the other wolf right then and there. Then his eyes fell from Victor to look at Charles, and Charles met his gaze. Just for a second, but it was all the third party needed to make his move.  
  
Victor darted forward, eyes selecting Charles as his target. Erik shot after him, but there was no time for interception. The gun’s aim fell on the timber wolf on instinct and Charles put everything he had into pulling the trigger, but the loud bang he anticipated didn’t happen. The trigger didn’t even move.  
  
He heard his name called out but his panic made it hard to identify who had said it. A hand gripped his jacket and yanked him to the side just as a white shape flashed past him, tackling Victor to the ground.  
  
Dimly he thought, _Raven_ , before the hands on his jacket turned him around and he found his rescuer to be Hank McCoy. The expression on his face was identical to the other boys’, pale and etched with too many emotions to sort out. The vet looked down at the gun in his hand and frowned, “You didn’t cock the hammer.”  
  
Charles’ mind spun.  He couldn’t seem to figure out which was more impressive: the fact that Hank McCoy - shy, sweet veterinarian - was scolding him on his gun use, or his overwhelming relief that Hank had pulled him out of the way. Or the relief that Hank was here and could take care of Pietro. Then he settled on the horrific thought that - oh God - Raven was a wolf as well, and Hank had seen her. Everyone had seen her.  
  
He spun back to the wolves. Raven was standing over Victor, a classic alpha female subduing, and the wolf under her was showing signs of surrender. His ears drooped, head low to the ground, tail tucked under his body. The low rumble of Raven’s growl carried through the area.  
  
Erik’s dark form loomed over the enemy, looking like a wolfish version of Death himself. Victor shifted under Raven, and she gave him just enough room to roll on his side to expose his neck and belly. The lowest form of submission a wolf could show.  
  
Steel-grey eyes glanced up and locked onto Charles, and the professor could read the decision in the almost-too human eyes. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat, knowing nothing he could say would spare them for what had to happen next, and turned his head away.  
  
“What’s going on?” Alex asked as Hank also lowered his gaze.  
  
“You might not want to see this…” answered the vet.  
  
Charles found himself looking into Pietro’s pen, staring at the still-unmoving animal. Trying to conjure up the hard ball of rage and distress he had felt earlier when the first bullet went off. It was the only thing that could overpower the nausea rolling in his stomach, but even then he had to close his eyes when he heard the sickening crunch of Erik’s teeth crushing Victor’s throat.  
  
\---  
  
He felt awful. For a number of reasons, really. At the top of Erik’s list was the sheer number of taboos he had managed to commit in a single night. Deciding to turn his back on his pack and mate with a human was nothing compared to the fact that he was now guilty of the very thing Shaw wished to have Charles punished for: revealing himself to human eyes. Three people total now knew what he was, what Raven was. But there had been no way around it.  
  
His mate had been in danger, immediate danger that only shifting could protect him from. When the first bullet had gone off, Erik had felt as if he had been the one struck dead. The sudden loud crack against the backdrop of the howling wolves, and a voice in the back of his head telling him  that there was only one person who could have been shot. The only person who had a bounty on his head from half the Were community.  
  
He still had enough sense to order Raven to stay inside before he darted out the door. If she saw her brother’s killer, he knew there would be no stopping her - hell, he wasn’t even sure if he had enough self control to keep from shifting. He just knew he had to be by Charles’ side.  
  
Alex and Darwin were already sprinting towards the kennel at the far end of the Estate - Pietro’s kennel. Erik followed them, easily catching up, and as they neared he caught the whiff of a scent.  
  
Immediately he recognized it as the smell he had noticed on Charles and Pietro earlier.  
  
He saw red as he came to the realization that another Were had been on the estate earlier and _he_ had missed it. The scent wasn’t particularly strong and it reeked of a lower-grade Were, but it was still there. A threat hanging over their heads.  
  
He had seen Charles first, standing still as a statue as the man in front of him held a gun steady on its intended target. Seeing the flash of metal and remembering the sound of the bullet going off, Erik couldn’t help himself. He didn’t think twice about transforming, didn’t think twice about tackling the man on the ground and sinking his claws into the pink flesh under him.  The thought terrified him.  
  
Every time he’d shifted before, his mind had been a delicate balance of wolf instincts and human intelligence. When he was hunting his instincts took over more; while stalking, his human mind had given him a steady head. The balance was the only reason their race had survived for so long. But facing the new Were, he hadn’t given anything a second chance.  
  
He didn’t think about the human eyes carefully watching his every move. He didn’t think about Charles’ reaction to his decisions. He didn’t think about anything except blood when he killed a Were on his back.  
  
And thus, Erik had committed his third taboo that night. Killing another Were without the judgment of the pack master.  
  
“I’m sorry.” Raven’s soft voice dragged him out of his thoughts.  
  
Erik looked up from the bloodied fur of the grey Timber wolf and saw Raven standing next to him. Charles’ barn coat covered her shoulders while Alex ran inside to grab some clothes.  
  
He had to wet his lips before asking, “What for?”  
  
“For not listening to you, for transforming in front of everyone.” The apology was sincere but Raven’s head was held high, as always. She and Erik both knew that her decision to join the fight had saved Charles’ life in the end, but they also knew it had complicated matters ten-fold.  
  
Erik shook his head. “Don’t be, you did well.”  
  
“Then why do you look so disappointed?” She tilted her head consideringly. Erik could feel her eyes boring into him.  
  
He didn’t return the look, instead fixing his attention on the pen where Darwin, Charles, and Hank were huddled around Pietro, trying to determine if they could save the animal or not. The pride he usually felt from protecting was washed away by overwhelming anxiety about what the next step should be.  
  
“We need to come up with a plan,” he told her solemnly, without even realizing that he hadn’t answered her question at all.  
  
\---  
  
Charles’ hand ghosted over Pietro’s fur. He felt the prickles at the end of the tufts graze across the palm of his hand as he stared down at the body. There was a hole right in the center of the Mexican Grey’s chest, the animal’s thick coat making it almost invisible to the naked eye. The only hint of it was the specks of red that blended with Pietro’s grey and brown.  
  
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. The numbness that had iced his limbs earlier had come back, stronger than before. There was also a chill in the air without his jacket on. He blamed both for his quivering limbs. A burning sting made his eyes ache even as Charles tried to blink it away. “You didn’t deserve this. You’d already been through so much. I’m… sorry.”  
  
“Charles,” Hank called softly from the other side of the animal. “He’s dead. There’s nothing you could have done. This was completely out of your hands.”  
  
Charles nodded quietly, taking in his friend’s words, but Hank was wrong. There was so much he could have done differently, this was most definitely his fault - but he could dwell on that later. There was still so much to do, so much explaining that needed to be done. He sniffed and looked up from the wolf. Hank and Darwin both looked tired, their mouths set in grim lines as they came to their own conclusions about the night’s events.  
  
“You two deserve an explanation,” he started. His words quickly grabbed the attention of the two men in front of him.  
  
Darwin nodded. “Writing a thesis on Werewolves, huh?” Charles knew the older boy was smart. He nodded, and noticed Hank shoot a quick look over his shoulders towards Raven. Charles felt a pang in his chest. Hank knew now... what did that mean for Raven? Would he scorn her? Tell others about her? He didn’t think the vet was capable of acting so hateful, but people could be known to lash out when receiving such… shocking news. Erik certainly believed people were capable of such actions.  
  
He nodded slowly. “I think this is a conversation that should be held inside, don’t you?”  
  
Hank and Darwin both nodded. At the same time, Alex came rushing from the house, arms full of clothes. He sprinted over to Erik and Raven, handed them the articles of clothing, and stood awkwardly on the sidelines, trying not to look as they dressed.  
  
“What do we do about Pietro, in the meantime?” Darwin asked, his eyes held steady on his boyfriend.  
  
Charles’ shoulders slouched. “Nothing we can do now. We’ll handle it in the morning. I’ll need to fill out paperwork. The caregivers who sent him here will need to be informed of his death, and coming up with a plausible excuse itself will be difficult.”  
  
“If you need it, I can help you,” Hank said, and his usual unsure smile slipped onto his face at Charles’ startled look. “I can write up a record, say the wolf suddenly fell ill. It might help things. It would be almost too easy to blame the huge amount of sedatives his transporter gave him.” The excuse seemed to bring confidence to the vet’s smile, while it hit Charles just how easy it would be for Hank to prove the point.   
  
“You would do that?” The shock in his voice should have shamed him, but Charles couldn’t help but be surprised. He smiled then - a weak brittle smile, but one nonetheless. “Thank you, Hank.”  
  
Hank nodded. “Really, Professor, it's nothing.”  
  
Alex walked into the pen, Erik and Raven behind them wearing clothing similar to what they had woken up to, although Erik’s jeans were a little short on him, and unbuttoned. Charles assumed they were Alex’s, but he didn’t say anything.  
  
“I have things to talk to all of you about,” Erik said, his voice leaving no room for argument.  
  
“O-okay,” Hank said, struggling hard not to stammer as his eyes darted between Raven and Erik.  
  
Darwin nodded, and neither he nor Alex complained when Erik continued, “Everyone get to the study on the first floor. Charles and I will be there shortly.”  
  
“What, you two going to have a secret meeting?” Alex’s eyes narrowed on the Were, but Charles could see the blond was studying the blood specks that still decorated Erik’s torso. Alex stepped closer to Darwin, initiating his own protective stance around the small group of humans.  
  
A small smile crept across Erik’s mouth as he noticed. “We’ll tell you everything when we get in. No more secrets.”  
  
Charles felt his eyes widen, but the statement had its desired effect. The boys around him stood and nodded before following Raven to the house. Soon he and Erik were left alone. His hand continued to smooth down Pietro’s fur as the soft murmuring of the children faded towards the house.  
  
He fully expected Erik to speak up first, so when his own throat moved it was a surprise. “He’s dead, Erik…”  
  
Erik sighed heavily, and Charles tried to keep his eyes on the dead wolf in front of him. “I’m sorry,” the Were said after a moment. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here in time to help.”  
  
“Don’t be,” Charles shook his head sadly. “It’s not your fault.” They didn’t talk about whose fault it was, though the guilt was gnawing at the Professor’s heart.  
  
Erik crouched low to the ground beside him, but Charles didn’t look up. The more time passed, the more reality set in. An icy feeling soaked into his bones, and his eyes stung as he realized that someone could have died. He could have, or Erik, or Alex or Raven…  
  
Then he remembered someone _did_ die, and he took a shaky breath.  
  
Erik laid his large hand on the wolf besides his own. Charles blinked down at it in wonder as it gently stroked and curled its fingers into the dry fur. Another hand wrapped itself around his shoulder, immediately sharing Erik’s unnatural heat with him. It helped a little.  
  
“When I heard the first shot, I thought something had happened to you,” Erik said, his voice quiet and low. “I only just got you, and then I was afraid you’d been taken from me.”  
  
“I’m alright,” Charles replied, the words as much for his own benefit as they were for Erik’s. He took another deep breath and said, “We’re all alright.”  
  
“No, we’re not. This complicates things, Charles, this complicates them a lot. I killed one of my kind.” Erik’s hold on his shoulder tightened. “The others know about me now.”  
  
“We’ll sort this out,” Charles nodded, but the explanation sounded weak even to his own ears. He nearly groaned at the thought of all the things they needed to figure out. How to explain things to the others, how to explain this to Moira, how Erik was going to explain this to his own kind.  
  
He shook his head again and repeated, “We’ll sort this out.”  
  
“We knew this wouldn’t be easy,” Erik said, his voice still holding a sad note that nearly broke Charles’ heart.  
  
The brunet watched his partner’s long fingers continue to stroke the short fur. Heard the last whispered apology of, “I’m sorry,” come from Erik’s lips, and wondered if the words were directed at him or Pietro.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the lovely kudos and comments! I'm sorry this has taken so long- I'm sure a lot of you were suffering finals week like me and I'm busy moving out of my apartment and getting ready for the REAL WORLD! Anyway here is the next chapter, sorry for any mistakes- I wanted to get it out quickly. 
> 
> Enjoy!

  
  
The house was eerily quiet when Erik pushed his way inside. In the days that he had spent in Charles’ home, it had never seemed so ominous to him. The lights were all turned off, and shadows from the early morning light were already seeping in through the windows and casting odd figures across the walls. In the distance Erik could see a light peeking out near the offices, announcing where the children were held up.  
  
Charles huffed behind him as he shuffled in through the door. He was still as pale as fresh snow, even in his oversized coat, which he gently shed. Erik watched him quietly toe out of his boots and sigh as the warmth of the mansion brought color to his cheeks.  
  
Once he looked more at ease, Charles’ eyes glanced over at Erik and the professor offered a weak smile. His hand reached out and cupped Erik’s lovingly, and Erik squeezed back.  
  
“Do you know what you want to say?” Charles asked, as he pulled Erik along towards the light source that still glowed brightly like a beacon.  
  
Erik shook his head. “We can’t tell them everything.”  
  
“Agreed, we’ll edit out the part about you wanting to kill me,” Charles said and turned to flash Erik a slightly stronger smile to show that he was well meaning.  
  
Erik felt his own lips twitch into a small smile. “I didn’t _want_ to kill you,” he amended.  
  
He saw Charles’ small shoulders perk up slightly from their depressed slouch, as if Erik’s words made him feel a new sense of pride. “We’ll still edit it out, yes?” Charles said and stopped in front of his own office door through which they could hear the children’s voices quietly talking. “Are you ready?”  
  
Erik nodded. “They know you better, Charles. I’ll let you take the lead on how you want to handle this.”  
  
Charles hand squeezed his reassuringly. “We’ll handle this together,” he said before pushing the door open.  
  
The bodies on the other side immediately straightened as they entered. Surprisingly, all four bodies were huddled close together. Raven sat in Charles’ chair while Hank and Alex leaned against his desk. Darwin stood off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest as he waited patiently.  
  
Charles took his time taking in the sight. Raven gave him an encouraging smile, which was enough to relax the tension that still resided in his muscles. “I’m sorry for the wait,” he started.  
  
“Yeah, whatever,” Alex huffed as his body rocked back against the desk’s polished oak. “Let’s just skip the pleasantries and get to whatever half-baked story you’re going to tell us.”  
  
Hank and Darwin both shot him warning glances, but it was the dark skinned boy who actually hissed, “Alex…”  
  
Charles held up his hands in a silencing gesture. “It’s alright - really. I plan on telling you nothing but the truth, Alex.” He glanced back at Erik, who gave him an encouraging nod. Then he took a deep breath and began, “Erik and Raven are what normal people perceive as Werewolves.”  
  
Saying it out loud to a room full of people left Charles nearly breathless. Raven looked like she was also holding her tongue as she looked over at Hank. He stared back, nothing less then adoration in his eyes. Erik shifted behind him nervously.  
  
Hank licked his lips. “How long have you known?”  
  
“And why keep it a secret?” Darwin asked, his voice its usual calm baritone.  
  
“I’ve known about Raven ever since I met her as a child,” Charles stated to the room. “As for the secret, I think it’s pretty clear. Werewolves are nothing normal, and society has always made them out as one of the monsters who go bump in the night. I’ve been doing my research in hopes of finding out if there could possibly be more out there.” He looked back at Erik and said, “Then I found Erik.”  
  
“Stop making googly eyes at each other,” Raven sighed from her chair, before looking at the boys around her. “Look, I’m sorry we kept this from you, but we had to. If we said Charles ran a wildlife reservation with werewolves just running about, would any of you have agreed to work here?”  She gave all the boys very stern looks. “Would you even have believed us if I just came out and said, ‘By the way, guys, I’m a Werewolf’?”  
  
All eyes in the room dropped in quiet agreement. Erik coughed discreetly behind Charles. “I think there’s an important factor we’re forgetting to mention. Our society - Were society - has rules concerning this kind of thing, all of which have been broken. And we need to figure out what we’re going to do about it.”  
  
Hank’s eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, “But Charles knew about you? How does any of that change, now that we know?”  
  
“Well…” Charles bit his lower lip while Raven huffed.  
  
“Charles wasn’t supposed to find out. It was just me and him for a long time, and I didn’t know any other Weres existed. Then Erik came along, and we discovered that not only is there a whole society of us, but we seem to be very strict regarding the whole human-involvement thing.”  
  
Erik gave a bored growl behind Charles and murmured under his breath, “Tell them our life story, while you’re at it.” Charles elbowed him gently in response.  
  
Hank’s eyes widened as if something had clicked in place. “Is all of this because of your thesis?”  
  
“Well, yes,” answered the professor shyly. “I had hoped it would attract attention from Raven’s kind. What I got was an entire species upset that I knew more than I should.”  
  
Alex’s frown deepened. “And that’s why that guy… Werewolf… that’s why he came here? To kill you because you know something?” His face scrunched in quiet consideration and then paled. Wide blue eyes looked to Darwin and then Charles as he asked, “Does that mean we’re going to be attacked? Cause now we know something?”  
  
Erik stepped forward. “No one is going to hurt any of you. Not while I’m around.”  
  
“Erik and I have a plan,” Charles said quickly. “Well, we’re working on a plan.”  
  
“My pack thinks that only Charles knows our secret. The only person who can say otherwise is dead. So that works to our advantage,” Erik explained. “None of you are a target.”  
  
“And what’s next?” Darwin asked.  
  
“We need to find out who sent that fucker,” Raven snapped from her seat.  
  
“Agreed,” Erik said. “But we aren’t going to get anything done this early in the morning. I can call my pack master and see if he knows of any packs who could be behind this.”  
  
Alex shook his head, eyes wide as he muttered, “Packs? Pack masters?”  
  
Charles’ voice was soothing as he spoke up. “I understand this is not what you signed on for when I offered you a place to stay.” Erik looked over at the professor and saw a remorseful look etched onto Charles’ fine features as he spoke. “If any of you want to leave, I understand. No one else will know about this, and you won’t have any more contact with us, if that’s what you wish.”  
  
Darwin looked over at his boyfriend as Alex bit his lower lip. Hank was the only one who shook his head firmly. “It will take some time to get used to, but I’m invested in all the animals here.” He looked at Raven, a fond smile on his face that made Erik reconsider his judgement that the vet was completely useless.  
  
Raven shook her head, but there was a serene look on her face. Erik’s eyes lit up in amusement as Hank suddenly frowned when he realized he had said something wrong. “Oh Raven, I didn’t mean that you were… I don’t think you’re an animal.”  
  
The blonde rolled her eyes and sighed, “Oh, Hank…” sounding so much like Charles.  
  
Darwin and Alex seemed to be finishing up a quiet conversation. When the older boy straightened, he looked directly at Charles and Erik. “This is one of the best jobs we’ve ever had. You’ve been good to us, Professor,” Darwin said, and Charles swallowed gratefully before nodding.  
  
“We’ll help any way we can,” Darwin asserted.  
  
Alex rolled his shoulders. “Sean would be lost without me.”  
  
Charles’ entire body relaxed. “Thank you for being so understanding,” he said. “Tomorrow morning we’ll settle everything else. But now I think we all could use some more rest.”  
  
Everyone stared back at him with tired eyes and gave quiet nods. Erik could tell that even though they were all exhausted, no one would be catching up on their sleep. The adrenaline from the night’s events was still making their ears ring, and the additional news had left the children bright-eyed with awe. Alex was still muttering about strange things under his breath, and Hank sat blinking with a dazed look in his eyes.    
  
Like a mother hen Charles shooed everyone gently out of his office and off to bed. The professor thinned his lips when Hank trailed behind Raven in the direction of her room, looking as if he wanted to usher the vet in another direction, but he stayed blessedly silent.  
  
When everyone had disappeared to their own dark corners of the mansion, Charles moved his body close to Erik’s and cuddled against his side, signaling that he was ready for their own retreat. Erik wrapped one long arm around Charles’ slender shoulders and pulled him close. Before they headed off to bed, he snuffled at Charles’ hair once again, placing quiet kisses on the top of his head while the smaller man let out a shaky breath.  
  
“That wasn’t so bad,” said Charles.  
  
“No, it wasn’t,” Erik said, his own voice betraying the awe he felt. He hadn’t known what to expect when they finally told the children the truth. For weeks he had worked beside Alex and Darwin, but he still didn’t know them well enough to predict their reactions. Hank had always been an anxious bundle of nerves around Raven, and his feelings seemed genuine. But there had still been the fear that he would change his mind after getting the sudden news that his new girlfriend was in fact a werewolf.  
  
Charles was right, though. They had all taken the news with surprising calm and maturity.  
  
Charles was right, and he had been wrong. Maybe not all humans thought of them as monsters, after all.  
  
The brunet nudged him gently in the ribs, signaling that he was ready to go off to bed, and Erik started forward.  
  
Walking back into Charles’ room was surreal. It was strange to think that just a couple hours ago he and Charles had been wrapped in the warmth of their sheets, content after mating for the first time.  
  
As soon as the door closed behind them, Erik made sure to keep a firm hand on his lover’s waist, halting Charles in his direct line to the bed. Inquisitive blue eyes looked up at him and wordlessly Erik began to tug at the hem of the ugly long-sleeved shirt that concealed Charles’ body.  
  
Charles let him, not saying anything as he lifted his arms and allowed the shirt to be pulled over his head. At the sight of Charles’ pale, untouched chest, Erik went wild. He jerked forward and began to run his hands up and down his lover’s chilled skin.  
  
Charles let out a shaky sigh. “You’re so warm,” he said, sounding distracted.  
  
“And you’re so cold,” Erik breathed before bending his head and catching Charles’ soft mouth with his own.  
  
The muffled sound of his mate’s moan urged Erik to step forward. Charles stepped back, and they continued moving until the edge of the bed bumped against the back of Charles’ legs and the smaller man allowed himself to fall back onto the plush mattress. Erik dove after him, trapping his body against the disheveled sheets and continuing his trail of kisses along a long elegant neck.  
  
All of the anxiety that he had felt earlier was still coiled tightly in his gut, but finally Erik could let it go. He could revel in his mate’s body and be assured that it won’t be the last time.  
  
“I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he murmured against Charles skin. “I won’t let anyone hurt our pack.”  
  
Charles laughed. “Is that what the children are now? Our pack?”  
  
Erik saw the bright faces of Raven and Hank, who would probably mate soon, then Darwin and Alex, already together, as he said, “Yes.”  
  
Charles’ arms wrapped around his neck and hugged him close in response. “You know, I was scared today as well. I still am.” The throat beneath Erik’s lips bobbed slightly as Charles swallowed. “I never really believed I was in any real danger, not before tonight. And now…”  
  
“I’ll protect us,” Erik vowed, his voice a rough growl.  
  
Charles nodded but his voice was still distant as he said, “Make love to me.”  
  
The plea in his voice was so strong that Erik wouldn’t have been able to deny him even if Charles weren’t his mate. He was as tender as he could be with Charles, making sure to say everything he felt, make all the promises he could with his body instead of his voice. And Charles responded in kind.  
  
Every kiss and every touch was a continuing conversation.  This was the truest form of communication between lovers, between mates. And Erik lost himself in the feeling.  
  
He had no regrets in picking a human for a lover. None whatsoever.  
  
\---  
  
However, when they woke up in the morning, something was off. Erik sensed it immediately.  
  
Charles got up at his usual time, which wasn’t a surprise. But Erik had expected some morning cuddling before his lover slinked out of bed. Instead Charles chastely kissed him on the cheek, and when Erik tried to wrap his arms around him the Professor squirmed out of the way.  
  
“I need to go check on the wolves,” Charles said, his voice thick with sleep, and something else. “I’m worried that they’ll know something is wrong, and…”  His voice trailed off but Erik nodded.  
  
“Let me come with you then…”  
  
“Er… no,” Charles said, and Erik could clearly hear the uncertainty in his voice before he continued, “I just want some alone time. Me and the wolves. Is that okay?”  
  
“After you were almost attacked last night?” Erik protested, peering at his lover with a stern look. “I don’t think so.”  
  
Charles leaned over the bed once again and pressed his lips to the nearest bit of Erik’s exposed skin. “Please, love.”  
  
Erik growled sleepily. They hadn’t gotten much sleep the previous night and he could use a bit more. “I’ll be downstairs in a bit. That will give you some time.” The appreciative smile that crossed Charles’ face was worth it, but he made sure to add, “If anything is wrong, you yell, and I’ll be there in an instant.”  
  
“Will do,” Charles chirped. He looked as tired as Erik felt, but he was nothing if not faithful to his obligations on the Reserve.  
  
Erik watched through slanted eyes as Charles covered his pale body in the usual drab sweatpants and a bright orange sweater. Sleep drifted at the edge of his consciousness while Charles fiddled with his clothes. He caught his mate’s quiet “sleep well” from across the room and the click of the door before drifting off to sleep.  
  
Erik had always been a light sleeper, but the excitement from the night before must have taken more out of him then he thought. When he next woke, he felt like he had slept for days. The sun was noticeably higher than it had been when he last awoke. He turned over, expecting to come in contact with a warm body. Instead his limbs flopped around an empty space on the bed.  
  
His eyes snapped open in alarm. He glanced around the room wildly, looking for a clock or some indication that Charles had been back. Their clothes were still heaped together on the floor where they had left them, but the bathroom was empty and the closest clock read nearly eight o’clock.  
  
Erik had to force himself to calm down. Feeding the animals usually took a good chunk of time, and Charles had said that he wanted to spend some alone time with them. He could also be downstairs, curled in a chair with a steaming mug of tea in hand. Those images filled Erik’s mind, calming him slightly. Just slightly.  
  
They still did not stop him from flinging his body out of bed and grabbing his pants from the night before. He pocketed his cell phone, which lay discarded on the floor. He planned on contacting Shaw sometime that morning to get answers, but first he needed to find Charles.  
  
As soon as he stepped out into the hallway, he was assaulted by the smell of breakfast. He took the stairs two at a time as he made his way to the kitchen. When he opened the doors, it wasn’t Charles he saw at the table, but Hank, a dish of eggs and bacon set out before him. Raven stood by the sink, a cup of coffee in her hand as she looked out the window at something.  
  
At his entrance, the female Were turned and looked at him. “Morning sleepy head,” she said, sounding amused.  
  
Erik gave the kitchen one last sweep - still no Charles - before returning his attention to Raven. “It was a long night,” he said, not just thinking of the attack. Mating had taken a lot out of him as well.  
  
Raven seemed to notice as her lips twisted into a small smile and she said, “I bet.”  
  
From his seat at the table Hank blushed and ducked his head closer to his plate of eggs. Erik gave him a long warning glare before stalking up to the window where Raven stood. She stepped aside at his approach, allowing Erik to see what had caught her attention.  
  
The kitchen window gave a good view of the wolf pens, and he could easily see Charles’ figure in  his usual ugly flannel coat as he huddled near Mystique’s pen.  
  
Raven sighed loudly beside him. “He’s been out there by himself all morning. Alex came down briefly to help, but Charles shooed him away.”  
  
Erik could feel her looking at him instead of her brother. He pursed his lips and ran his fingers through his tousled hair. “I’ll go out there to him.”  
  
“No, I think he needs to be alone right now,” Raven said. “Charles is more shaken up by last night than he is letting on. This is how he deals with things.”  
  
Erik narrowed his eyes. “I’m his mate, Raven.”  
  
Behind him he heard Hank cough loudly and exclaim, “Mate?”  
  
Raven didn’t even blink when she replied, “I know, but that also means that you should give Charles space when he wants it. He’ll come to you when he’s ready.”  
  
That answer didn’t make him feel better. He also felt his muscles tense at the accusation that Charles was upset and he hadn’t known about it. Charles shouldn’t be worried - Erik’s assurance should be enough for him.  
  
He bit back a grumbled protest and moved to the counter to pick up a piece of bread. Then back to the window to keep an eye on Charles. Raven seemed satisfied with his demeanor as she inched away and walked towards the table to sit next to Hank.  
  
Alex and Darwin resurfaced after a short period of quiet breakfast conversation between Raven and Hank. Apparently after Charles dismissed him Alex had returned to bed for another hour. His hair was a pincushion of disorderly spikes. Darwin looked like he fared the night better, appearing the most awake out of the entire group.  
  
The newcomers poured their cups of coffee after muttered good mornings. Erik was still preoccupied with the window when he felt Alex brush up against him. “He still out there?”  
  
Erik nodded, but at that moment Charles’ small frame straightened and stood up. He watched Charles brush off his clothes then start his trek back towards the house. Immediately Erik pushed away from the sink and moved to the back door.  
  
He met Charles as soon as the door opened. The gust of chill wind that came with him made Erik shiver but he kept an expressionless face as Charles let out a long puff of air.  
  
“Brrr, it’s getting cold out there,” said Charles, putting on a bright smile. He moved forward and pecked Erik on the cheek, which put the Were a little more at ease. Charles’ bright eyes scanned the full kitchen before finally resting on Erik. “Have you eaten breakfast?”  
  
Erik opened his mouth to answer as the phone in his pocket vibrated. A familiar tone filled his ears and made him pause. At the same time Charles’ brows scrunched in honest concern.  
  
He scrabbled at his pockets, desperately trying to dig out his phone. When he finally did, the sight of the caller I.D. made his heart thud against his rib cage.  
  
Shaw.  
  
“I’ll take this in the other room,” he said urgently, giving Charles a meaningful look. One that said, “We’ll talk later.” The professor nodded, carefully peeling out of his layers of jackets.  
  
As he rushed out of the kitchen Erik’s mind whirled with what he would say to his pack master. It had to be just right. He couldn’t let too much of the truth slip through to the man. Behind him he could hear the kitchen grow eerily quiet. Raven’s loud “Shh” might have had something to do with that.  
  
When he seemed safely out of earshot, he pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear. “Hello?”  
  
“Hello, Erik, sorry for calling so early in the morning.” Shaw sounded like his same collected self, but for the first time the man’s voice made Erik sick to his stomach.  
  
He cleared his throat before speaking. “It’s no problem. What do you need, sir?”  
  
“I was wondering how things are going on your end. You see, it’s the funniest thing. I sent someone down there to help you if you need it and I haven’t heard back from him. Is he there with you?” Erik felt his heart stop and his mind paused in its careful planning to repeat, _No No No No._  
  
“Victor is such a tiresome brute. Never really there when you need him,” Shaw drawled on.  
  
 _Think! Think!_ Erik closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The tendrils of a plan were forming; he just hoped it would work. “I wish you would have told me about him when you first hired him,” he started and heard Shaw hum inquisitively on the other end. “Because I had a run in with him.”  
  
“Oh?” Shaw sounded unsurprised.  
  
“And I killed him.”  
  
“Oh?” Genuine surprise perked his pack master’s voice now along with irritation, and Erik knew there was no going back.  
  
“Yes, he snuck up on my territory here unannounced and attacked Raven - the female here. If he would have properly announced himself or told me he came under your instruction, he would have been spared, but he didn’t and conflict was unavoidable.” He kept his tone as level as possible. All business, like how he would have discussed such matters before.  
  
“Ah, I did mention that he was a brute,” Shaw said, “emphasis on the word _was_. Well, Erik, you know the laws of our pack, there will need to be a trial. But Victor was a lone wolf, he didn’t belong to any pack. It should be quick and painless.”  
  
Of course, Shaw wouldn’t risk an actual member of their pack, and Erik would have immediately recognized them if it had been someone from the Hellfire pack. The lack of remorse for the death of one of their kind hit Erik as a harshness only Shaw could exhibit.  
  
“And is the other problem is solved?” Shaw continued.  
  
Erik swallowed a thick thump of—not fear, something else as he said, “It’s been handled. He’s dead.”  
  
The alpha made a pleased noise over the line that made Erik’s skin crawl. “Good,” Shaw all but purred. “Unfortunately, though, Emma and I were getting worried about you. We’re coming down to New York to see you back.”  
  
The thump suddenly became fear. A cold sweat broke out across Erik’s brow as his mind screamed, _He knows, He knows!_  
  
Out loud Erik croaked, “I’m sorry?”  
  
“Yes, we can have the trial there. We’re staying at the Moon Bay Hotel, you know it, don’t you?”  
  
Yes, Erik knew it. It was run by the Moon Bay pack and specifically catered to Weres. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Shaw was up to something. He needed to stay ahead of the alpha if he had any hopes of keeping his mate and new pack alive.  
  
“When will you be here?” he asked, miraculously able to keep his voice from wavering.  
  
“Tomorrow evening. We’ll have the trial then, shall we?” Shaw made another pleased noise as he said, “We can make it an official gathering to welcome our new pack member as well.”  
  
Erik breathed through his nose as he said, “Whatever you want.”  
  
“Wonderful. I’ll make all the arrangements. I look forward to seeing you, Erik.” Shaw sounded too delighted at the prospect.  
  
Erik mustered all his nerves and pushed it aside. Pushed everything aside to keep up the façade as he said, “I’ll see you soon.”  
  
He hung up before Shaw could say anything else and let out a deep sigh. Erik couldn’t seem to get enough air as his mind reeled.  
  
The sound of the kitchen door creaking open echoed behind him. Erik smelled Charles before turning around and meeting the biologists’ pale blue eyes. One look at his face and Charles was bringing his lower lip between his teeth as he said, “Oh bugger, more bad news?”  
  
\---  
  
The entire kitchen looked attentive and awake when they walked back in. Charles had fallen silent as Erik ushered him back into the main room to address the latest issue. Raven looked the most unsettled. Besides Charles, she was the only one who knew the depth of trouble that could come with the phone call.  
  
“Well?” she asked, hands clutching the back of her chair like a lifeline.  
  
Erik schooled his face, hoping he didn’t look as shaken as he felt. “That was my Alpha. He sent Victor the other night.”  
  
“Why would your own pack send him?” Darwin asked, brows narrowed. He was just as new to pack dynamics as the other humans, but he was quick to pick up when something was wrong.  
  
“He was making sure I did my job, which means he suspects something,” Erik answered curtly. “He’s coming here. Tomorrow.”  
  
Raven jerked in her seat. “What?”  
  
Next to him, Charles’ body shuddered as well. Erik knew his mate was looking at him, watching him carefully, but he refused to look back. If he did, Erik knew he would have to smother his instinct to take the smaller man in his arms and soothe him.  
  
First he needed to flesh out a plan with the rest of his pack. They didn’t have a lot of time.  
  
“Tomorrow evening we’re meeting him. I have to stand trial for the death of Victor.” He looked at the room and then said very slowly, “ _We_ \- as in Raven and I. The rest of you will stay here.”  
  
“You can’t be serious,” Charles said with a frown at the same time that Hank stood up from his seat at the table, a stern look on his face. Erik could even call it protective.  
  
“And we’ll what? Just twiddle our thumbs and wait for you to come back?” Hank asked, giving Raven a meaningful look.  
  
“No,” Erik said. “I’ll need you to take Charles away from here until this thing is over. They think he’s dead, and if they decide to come around the Reserve to make sure I did my job, we can’t leave a trace.”  
  
Hank nodded solemnly while Erik turned his attention to Alex and Darwin. “Which means we’ll need you two to stay here and take care of things.”  
  
Darwin nodded. “We can do that.”  
  
Charles shifted in place. He had been unusually quiet since the phone call. Erik turned to him and noticed the brunet was staring out the windows instead of at any of the people around them. Erik glanced at the glass and found nothing of importance outside before turning back. “Charles?” he questioned softly.  
  
Charles shook off his daze and frowned. “I’m sorry. I was just thinking,” he said, his voice sounding distant.  
  
“Thinking?” Erik asked just as Charles stepped away from him and headed for the back door.  
  
“I’m going to go and take care of Pietro’s body. It will be noon soon and I don’t want to leave him out like that for long,” Charles said.  
  
Erik felt his jaw go slack as he watched Charles shrug back into his heavier coat. Alex pushed away from the table as he said, “But we need to figure out what we’re doing tomorrow.”  
  
“We have all day for that,” Charles answered briskly, “and to be honest I need some air.” He didn’t wait for anyone to answer, just opened the door and let himself out.  
  
An awkward sort of silence hung over the group at Charles’ exit. Erik felt a roll of emotions hit his gut. The need to follow Charles was nearly overshadowed by the sheer outrage he felt that the man just walked out of their planning session.  
  
Shaw was coming tomorrow - _tomorrow_ \- and Charles’ number one priority was a dead animal.  
  
He met Raven’s eyes over the kitchen and she wore the same expression from earlier that said, “Give him time.” A heavy exhausted groan escaped him as he reached up and massaged the skin near his eyes. “Alex,” he said softly, “do you think you could…”  
  
“On it,” the blond boy replied dutifully, already making his way to the coat rack.  
  
When the door closed behind him, Erik shuffled over to the table and sat down. He would give Charles his time. Meanwhile he would flesh out their strategy. “Alright, here’s our plan…”  
  
\---  
  
Charles could feel the sweat collect across his brow as he worked. The cold air made it hard to ignore as he hastened to wipe it off before it froze. When he exhaled, his breath made visible the slightest cloud of white air, which danced in front of his face before disappearing.  
  
The hole in front of him wasn’t nearly as big as it needed to be. He’d been working for at least a hour and all he and Alex had managed was a foot deep square. Through his thin gloves the wood of the shovel was leaving ugly blisters across his palm.  
  
Alex grunted next to him as he threw another pile of dirt to the side. Charles appreciated the help, and Alex worked quietly, not bothering to fill their time with useless chatter. As much as Charles appreciated a good conversation, at the moment he needed his thoughts, alone. He needed to sort through the feelings that threatened to crush him from the inside out.  
  
Everything was happening too quickly. First Pietro’s death, now Erik and Raven were talking about running off to deal with an unpredictable pack of Weres.  
  
And what would happen to him?  
  
Charles glanced up just in time to see Erik making his way towards them. He was slightly surprised that the Were had waited so long to come out.  
  
Pausing with his shovel still stuck in the fresh dirt, Charles turned to Alex and gave a smile. The boy had stopped as well and was looking in Erik’s direction. “Alex, would you mind checking on the wolves’ water? I don’t want them to freeze over.”  
  
The weather wasn’t cold enough for the water to freeze, though it felt like it was. Alex gave him a long stare but nodded. “Sure thing, Professor,” he said, leaning his shovel against a tree and heading towards Cyclops’ pen. He clapped Charles on the shoulder as he moved past, and Charles managed to nod at him.  
  
As Erik and Alex passed each other Charles could see their lips move as they exchanged words. Then Erik nodded and Alex darted off towards the nearest pen.  
  
Charles waited by his pathetic excuse of a hole. He saw Erik pause next to Peitro’s old pen where the wolf’s body still lay, a thin layer of frost covering his fur. Then the Were continued forward. He was standing in front of Charles in just a few long strides.  
  
There was a firm scowl on Erik’s face, something Charles couldn’t remember seeing since the first night he and his lover sat in his study. He knew Erik was upset that he had walked out, could feel the other man’s prickles of agitation in his gut as if it was his own.  
  
Charles let out another white puff of air as he exhaled and watched Erik’s nostrils flare.  
  
“You left,” Erik said.  
  
Charles’ head gave the barest of nods. “I’m sorry. There was just so much going on, and I didn’t want to forget about this. He deserved better than being left out in the cold for hours.”  
  
To his surprise Erik nodded. “I understand, Charles,” he said. “It’s okay to be scared.”  
  
“No, Erik, it’s not okay,” Charles muttered as his blue eyes cast down at the ground. “It’s not okay because I lost one wolf this week to these people, and now you’re running off with my sister to meet with them, and there’s nothing I can do.”  
  
“We have a plan,” Erik countered.  
  
Charles sniffed and refused to meet the Were’s eyes. “Right. And what will you do if your pack doesn’t let you leave?”  
  
“I’ll fight my way out if I have to. I’ll make sure to get Raven out.”  
  
Charles’ mop of brown hair ruffled in the wind as he shook his head. “Can’t I come with you? Maybe if I talk to your alpha…”  
  
He didn’t see Erik move, but suddenly the other man’s hands were gently cupping Charles’ shoulders and his head was pressed against the broad chest that could only belong to Erik.  
  
“Don’t think like that, Charles. You know that's not a option.” Erik’s words were mumbled as he spoke them into Charles’ hair. The Professor shivered despite them. “Raven and I are leaving tomorrow, but we’ll be back, I promise. Until then I need you to be safe. Understand?”  
  
Charles huffed but he nodded. “I understand that there is no changing a Were’s mind when it’s made up.”  
  
The joke got a small chuckle out of Erik as the taller man pulled back. “It’s better if you realize that now rather than later.”  
  
“Oh, Erik, I knew that after my first year with Raven,” Charles said, forcing himself to smile.  
  
The gesture seemed to help Erik relax for the first time all morning. He wasn’t sure if he would get used to the strange connection between himself and the Werewolf. It seemed everything Erik said or did affected him. Made him excitedly happy or worried, and the feelings seemed to be the same for Erik.  
  
He would let Erik go on with his plan, and he would hope that it worked - with every fiber in his body.  
  
In the meantime, Charles had his own plan in the making.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Oh god! We're getting to the ending! -Just so you know, with one chapter to go I'm not sure If I'll break it up into 16 chapters or keep it at 15. We'll see how the finale comes along. Just goes to show you I can have everything planned out but sometimes the story has a little extra life of its own. :) 
> 
> 2) As always thanks everyone for the kind comments and the kudos. I hope you enjoy this chapter- although its mostly a plot moving chapter. Still enjoy!

****  
Charles got up a whole hour before the usual feeding time to say good-bye. Erik’s arms were wrapped around him in the warmth of the bed. Separating himself from them was the first of many challenging things he needed to accomplish before the sun was even up.  
  
For Erik, it seemed a lot easier. A stern frown decorated his face even as he leaned over and kissed Charles on the forehead, cheek, lips and neck. There were promises in every touch, an unspoken ‘I’ll be back’ that Charles clutched to his chest as he let the man slink out of bed.  
  
He could see the determination set in every muscle of Erik’s body as the Were dressed. He put on the same clothes Charles had first met him in, clean and proper suits that made him appear like the professional journalist.  
  
Meanwhile Charles dressed in his usual loose sweats, unable to find the patience or the strength to put anything else on. He wanted to keep up with Erik, driven by the nagging fear that if he was too slow the man would be out the door and driving off without the proper goodbye.  
  
To his relief, Erik didn’t seem to pack much at all. Which meant he planned on coming back. He _was_ coming back.  
  
Erik looked over when he seemed ready to leave and Charles nodded. They left the room together then slowly marched down the stairs and into the main foyer where Raven and Hank waited.  
  
Raven was dressed in a sweet white summer dress with white tights and a small coat. The outfit made her look much younger than her actual age. The night before Erik had discussed with her what she would wear and decided on something white to appeal to his pack’s alpha female and something youthful to emphasize her naivety. They didn’t want to be perceived as a threat.  
  
Hank looked awake standing beside her, his hand floating aimlessly in the air as if he wanted to touch Raven but not in the presence of her brother and his new (intimidating) lover. Charles tried to give him his most reassuring smile as he greeted them. “Good morning, you two.”  
  
“Wow, Charles, Erik looks like he stepped out of a magazine while you came straight from the farm,” Raven said with an amused glint in her eyes.  
  
“Seeing as I’m going to do the outside chores as soon as you’re gone, that makes sense,” her brother sniffed.  
  
Erik’s hand fell on his shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. “And after that you’re leaving to go to Hank’s clinic. Right?” he said, voice a low growl that held what could only be described as a tender warning.  
  
Charles sighed dramatically at the reminder, “Yes, love. I said I would, didn’t I?”  
  
He knew Erik was giving him a firm look, and he attempted to return it with a wide-eyed stare of his own and a gentle tilt of his head. Raven huffed impatiently. “You’re doing the _eyes_ thing again. Erik, stop looking at my brother like you want to eat him.”  
  
“Oh, I don’t want to eat him,” Erik said, a curl of a smile touching his lips as he eyes lit up.  
  
Charles snorted beside him and ducked his head while Raven and Hank both suddenly looked very uncomfortable. “Alright, out! Out!” Raven called while motioning to the door. “Before I’m forced to drag you to the car.”  
  
She led the way to the door and opened it. The sky was a dim bluish color that came right before dawn, with the brightest stars still twinkling to announce their presence. The moon still hung stubbornly in the sky, bright even in the oncoming sunlight. Charles stared at it, thinking back on all the old stories he had pored over about wolves and their reactions to the moon. He barely noticed the below-freezing morning air, until his body shivered involuntarily.  
  
Erik’s body was still beside him as the Were took in the dawn as well. The cold hardly seemed to affect Raven as she kissed Hank lovingly on the cheek and danced to the car, calling out behind her, “Take care of Charles for me!’  
  
Hank sighed, clearly love-struck as he waved. “Of course.”  
  
“I’ll be back, Hank.” Raven had a determined look on her face that Charles knew all too well as she planted her feet in Erik’s car.    
  
Erik sighed, and it was the first and only indication that he would rather do anything in the world besides leave the Reserve. Charles felt the familiar arm wrap around his waist and tug him close as Erik buried his nose against his neck and took in his scent.  
  
“We’ll be okay,” Erik promised against pale skin, and Charles tried his best not to tremble when he felt his lover’s skilled tongue lick at him.  
  
“I hope so,” Charles whispered, finding it hard to get the words out.  
  
Before he was ready Erik pulled away, and Charles suddenly felt very cold again. He watched the Were stalk towards the car and climb in without looking back. Raven gave one last weak smile and wave before jumping into the car.  
  
Watching the car drive off, Charles tried to reassure himself that everything would be fine.  
  
And everything would be fine, if Charles had anything to say about it.  
  
\---  
  
Alex trailed behind him as he went about feeding the wolves. He could feel the younger man’s own nerves hanging in the air, buzzing like a hoard of flies. “Alex,” Charles called back as he made his way to Mystique’s pen, “are all the waters full?”  
  
“Yeah,” the blond huffed behind him, face flush in the cold morning breeze. “And Hank said that they would need more blankets, so I put them in every pen.”  
  
Charles smiled to himself at how far along Alex seemed to be coming in such a short amount of time. The pride that swelled in his chest at the thought was a welcome distraction. He peered into every pen as he walked by. All the wolves were fed, but he just couldn’t leave without one last check. In Mystiques’ pen, the wolf was curled among the fresh blankets, her pups huddled close to her fur.  
  
“You’re okay with watching over them? Moira and Sean should be in tomorrow since it’s Monday. They’ll be here to help you if you need anything.” Charles stopped by Gandalf and Saruman’s cage. The older wolves were moving stiffly with the chilly weather. When this was over - _when,_ not _if_ – he would ask Hank for some arthritis medicine to give them. “And remember what we’re telling them…”  
  
“Pietro is sick and you’re at Hank’s fretting over him,” Alex repeated with a smug smile.  
  
Charles gave him another stern look. “And what will you say if she asks about Raven and Erik?”  
  
Alex didn’t pause, “They decided they were in true love and ran off together.” His smugness stayed obvious on his face as Charles shook his head.  
  
“She’ll hardly believe that. But it’ll give you some time to come up with something better.” Alex laughed out loud at that, just as Hank stuck his head out of the house and called to them.  
  
“Charles, we should get going.”  
  
“Alright,” he called back as the amusement slipped from Alex’s face. Charles placed a reassuring hand on the boy’s shoulder before trotting towards the house. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about the Reserve while he was away. Everything would be fine in the hands of Alex and Darwin, and Moira would handle the paperwork in his absence. In their line of work they were both used to the other just picking up and heading across the country in the name of the needy animal.  
  
When he walked in there was no time to enjoy the warmth before Hank asked, “Do you have everything you need?”  
  
“Let me get something from my office,” Charles said, heading immediately towards the long line of offices.  
  
He didn’t have to search for what he was looking for. It was lying in the black case right by his laptop. Charles grabbed it with a smile and returned to the kitchen quickly. When he stepped in, Hank held his medical bag looking ready to go. All eyes fell to him and stared.  
  
“Professor, what’s that?” Darwin was the one to ask it. Hank already knew, and his eyes showed their confusion even as Charles grinned and held up the case.  
  
“It’s my GPS tracker.”  
  
“When you said you needed something I assumed it would be an overnight bag,” Hank said, looking around the room as if expecting to see the bag appear at any moment, “I don’t see why you will need the tracker…”  
  
Charles had no qualms about cutting him off then and there, “Because we are not going to your clinic, Hank. We’re going after Erik and Raven.”  
  
The room fell awfully quiet. Hank’s head shook in disapproval, or maybe it was the vet’s attempt to rid himself of Charles’ stupidity.  
  
“You can’t be serious,” Darwin said/ “How do you plan to do that?”  
  
“I put one of the wolf trackers in Erik’s car yesterday morning.” Charles held up his case victoriously as he explained. “This GPS will show us exactly where they are going.”  
  
“Dude, no way,” Alex breathed while Hank shook his head again.  
  
“No. Not doing it, I promised Raven… More importantly I promised Erik. We’re going to the clinic.”  
  
Charles clutched the device close to his chest and narrowed his eyes in determination. “You can go to the clinic. I’m going to follow them.”  
  
“Following who?”    
  
The new female voice came so abruptly that everyone stood in place, frozen, before they reeled to the back door were Moria stood. Bundled up in a warm-looking coat and scarf, she had a familiar suspicious look to her brown eyes as she gazed around the room. Expecting one of the men to answer her.  
  
She walked in and Sean trailed behind her, closing the door with a loud slam as he said, “Dude, what’s everyone doing in here?”  
  
“What are we doing here?” Charles asked, the first to recover from the surprise arrival. “What are you doing here? It’s your day off.”  
  
“Moira dragged me out,” the redhead said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Apparently there was paperwork for the Mexican Grey that couldn’t wait till tomorrow.”  
  
Moira’s eyes remained on the men in the kitchen as she said, “Since Charles was too busy on Friday to finish up Pietro’s papers…” Her voice trailed off and Charles gulped with guilt. “Now answer the question, who are you following?”  
  
“Er...” All three young men looked in Charles’ direction expectantly. The professor balked under the pressure.  
  
“Erm…” he repeated.  
  
Moria’s inquisitive eyes glanced around the kitchen suddenly as she asked, “And where are Erik and Raven? Are they in the weight room again?”  
  
“They’re…” Charles swallowed - what to tell her… what _not_ to tell her…  
  
“They’re the ones we’re following,” he said picking his words carefully. “They disappeared early this morning. I’m afraid something is wrong.”  
  
As he had anticipated, Moira couldn’t stay mad when there was the very real probability that someone could be in trouble. Her glare lightened, the firm line in her jaw softened, but she still didn’t look wholly convinced. “Tell me everything,” she said, and her tone left no room for argument.  
  
Charles prayed he could think fast on his feet. There wasn’t any time to spare.  
  
\---  
  
The first story he came up with came out as babble, and it wasn’t surprising when Moira didn’t buy it. “Err, they realized they had feelings for each other and ran off?” Charles mustered a weak smile and watched as Moira’s eyes widened. He heard a slap of skin against skin as Alex put his face in his palms.  
  
“Oh, really?” Moira’s tone was the first sign that she wasn’t convinced. “Well, that explains all the time they spent together, but I was pretty sure Erik was smitten with someone else.” Her brown eyes looked at Charles meaningfully and he uttered a mental curse.  
  
Had he and Erik been that obvious?  
  
“Try again, Charles…”  
  
“Alright, alright.” Only the truth would please Moira, and the only way about that was to give her snippets of the truth. “Erik isn’t a journalist, we found out recently.”  
  
Again Moira didn’t look surprised. He thinned his lips using the best of his acting skill., “He left last night. We think he might be in some trouble, and Raven went after him.”  
  
Charles was pleased to see resolve seeping into his colleague’s eyes. “What kind of trouble do you think he’s in?” she asked.  
  
“We’re not sure,” Darwin said, stepping up and using his booming voice to their advantage, “but we think he owes the wrong people money.”  
  
It was just vague enough to work, and Charles could see that when Moira nodded to herself. “I knew I didn’t trust something about that guy.”  
  
Still clutching his GPS close Charles frowned. “Well, I’m going after him no matter what.”  
  
To his dismay Hank still shook his head. “Charles, you can’t be serious.”  
  
“ _Raven_ , Hank!” he pointed out and was happy to see uncertainty seep into the vet’s eyes. “Look, you can either help me or not. But I’m going.”  
  
“I’ll go with you, Charles,” Moira said. “Lord knows what you’ll do when you actually see Erik again, and you still don’t know what type of people he’s involved with.”  
  
Charles set his teeth; he definitely knew the type of people he was dealing with. But mentioning Werewolves would not be a smart move on his part. So he nodded.  
  
“If you’re going after them, you could use our help. Right?”  Darwin’s voice was a surprise, as both Charles and Alex stared at him. The blond’s eyes were wider than usual but there was pride shining in them as Alex nodded eagerly.  
  
“Yeah, we’ll help Professor.”  
  
Charles frowned slightly. “Someone has to stay with the animals…” he said warily.  
  
“Well, we know Hank is going to come as well…” Alex said, wiggling his brows at the Vet. “It’s his woman we’re going after.”  
  
“That just leaves Sean,” Moira said, turning to look at her intern.  
  
Sean’s face fell. “What? Aw, come on guys. Let me come! I can help, I swear!”  
  
Alex rolled his eyes. “How can you help? Got some secret super power we don’t know about?”  
  
Sean’s face lit up as he pointed out, “I got a van!”  
  
“A van?” Hank raised a brow and made a face.  
  
“No, Sean has a great point!” Charles pointed out, suddenly realizing what the redhead meant. “There’s five of us, plus when we pick up Raven and Erik that will make seven. And we don’t even know if someone might be injured or not. A van could be a great help.”  
  
“Alright,” Moira said clapping her hands together to silence the low rumble of agreement that echoed through the room. “Alright. We’ll all go. I don’t expect it will take more than a day. We’ll catch up with them, talk Raven into coming home and be back this evening. But we have to leave now.”  
  
Sean let out a cheer at the declaration, and Hank turned to give Charles a frustrated look. The biologist was having a hard time keeping his own triumphant smile from his face.  
  
He was coming after Erik. All he could do now was hope that they got to him before anything bad could happen.  
  
\---  
  
The Moon Bay hotel was everything that Erik expected it would be, considering that Shaw picked it for their meeting place. Crystal chandeliers gave the building an elegant look, along with its marble floors. A Were greeted them at the door. Raven stared at the man for a long while, her blue eyes wide and suspicious even as he took their coats and gave a respectful bow.  
  
“Sebastian Shaw’s guest, I assume?” he asked. At Erik’s nod he turned and led them towards a nearby staircase. A female Were was typing away behind a counter. For all intents and purposes, it looked and functioned like a real hotel.  
  
Except the only people who knew of its location were other Weres. It was used when large gatherings were held, either for the seasonal hunt or a meeting between packs.  
  
“Alpha Shaw will be in shortly, and he has instructed me to tell you the trail time will be at 1700.” The Were turned his head to give them a slanted look. “That should give you plenty of time to come up with excuses before you meet with him.”  
  
Raven made a disgusted look. “Excuse?” she hissed before Erik elbowed her. He shot her a meaningful look that immediately made Raven quiet down.  
  
“Here is your room,” their escort stopped halfway down the hall and inclined towards one of the identical doors. “When the time comes someone will get you.”  
  
Erik nodded. “Thank you.”  
  
The Were snorted and didn’t say anything in reply as he handed Erik a card key then turned back down the hall. Raven waited until Erik unlocked the door and they piled into their room before starting on a tirade. “What a complete asshole, please tell me the rest of our species isn’t like that.”  
  
“He probably knows why we’re here,” Erik answered, shrugging out of his suit jacket and hanging it in the closet. “Shaw isn’t one to keep quiet about something like this. He’ll want the other packs to know what I’m on trial for.”  
  
“Why?” A look of confusion crossed Raven’s pretty features. “That makes no sense.”  
  
“It shows dominance,” Erik said with a shrug, “and it humiliates me, reminds me of my place.”  
  
To that Raven had nothing to say. Her body fell against one of the two beds in the room. “So what do we do until then?”  
  
“We wait,” Erik answered, taking the other bed, “and we go over our story. There won’t be room for error, Raven.”  
  
“I gotcha,” Raven said but her voice had gotten quieter as her finger traced over the elaborate pattern on the bed sheets. “Is it bad that I kind of wish Charles was here?”  
  
Erik tensed. To say that he didn’t want his mate by his side would be a lie, but he knew better. “Don’t say that,” he said. “If the Weres here knew who he was, there’s no telling what they would do.”  
  
He watched as Raven nodded mutely, but just to be sure he had to add, “I know exactly what Shaw would do. Kill him, then do the same to you and me.” Raven’s finger paused on the bed and she didn’t look at him. “Just be happy Charles is safe at Hank’s clinic. We’ll see him soon.”  
  
\---  
  
Sean drove while Moira managed the GPS tracker. Charles gave it up to her without a fuss; she was better with the tracking equipment anyway, always had been. He settled into one of the back seats, making sure to put a good gap between himself and the people in the front so he could hold a conversation with Hank in hushed tones.  
  
“Are you sure about this,” Hank asked, casting worried looks towards the front of the van. “Moira and Sean don’t know about Weres, and didn’t Erik say that humans knowing about them was a _bad_ thing?”  
  
“Yes I know,” Charles whispered back, “but you and I both know Moira wasn’t going to let us leave without her.”  
  
“She would have if we told her the excuse we came up with before,” Hank accused.  
  
“Hank, I am not going to let my baby sister meet with a pack of lethal werewolves,” Charles said in all seriousness. “Not to mention Erik, my new…”  
  
“Mate?” Hank asked, pushing up his glasses and peering at him from behind the glass with interested dark eyes.  
  
Charles licked his lips. “Yes. My mate.” It was the first time he had said the words out loud. Most of the time it was Erik throwing the word around.  
  
A look that could only be acceptance crossed Hank’s features. “Alright,” he said. “Alright, but we need a plan. I’m already risking Raven killing me by letting you do this, I am not going to risk our lives any more than that.”  
  
Charles brightened. “It’s simple really. We’ll get there and I’ll find Raven and Erik, thus I’ll find Erik’s pack. I’m sure if I talk to them we can clear up this mess without any bloodshed. They’re people too, right?”  
  
Hank looked unsure. “And if they decide they don’t want to talk?”  
  
He ran his hands through short brown locks of hair and tried not to let that question over take his mind. He needed to stay positive. “I kept one Were from killing me,” Charles said. “Maybe I can charm my way out of it a second time.”  
  
“That’s another thing,” Hank said, his voice dropping to an even raspier whisper. “The whole Were thing…”  
  
Charles nodded. He wasn’t surprised that Hank had brought it up. They hadn’t gotten a moment to talk, human to human about their choice of lovers. “I assume you talked to Raven last night.”  
  
Hank smiled at that, “Didn’t get a wink of sleep, er… because of the talking,” he amended quickly. “She explained the whole situation more, but I wanted to talk to you about… well, all of this.”  
  
“Hank,” Charles said, interrupting as gently as he could. “There’ll be time to talk about this as much as we’d like afterwards.”  
  
Hank shook his head, his messy black hair falling into his eyes before he hastily swept it to the side. “I know, I just wanted to tell you that Raven explained the whole… mating thing to me. And I want you to know that I really care about your sister. This thing doesn’t change that.”  
  
The sincerity in Hank’s voice made Charles smile. “And I believe she really cares for you as well my friend,” he said. “I’m glad Raven found someone as great as you to care about her.”  
  
A bright blush came across Hank’s nose and his eyes darted away. “You know better than I, but what does Erik think?”  
  
“Erik?” Charles laughed. “Why do you care about him?”  
  
“Well, because I know Raven looks up to him, and he’s your mate so his opinion is important I think.”  
  
Charles put a reassuring hand on Hank’s slender shoulder and shook his head. “Oh Hank, you have proven yourself in Erik’s eyes. Don’t worry about that.”  
  
The shoulder sagged under his hand as Hank released a sigh, “I bet this new plan is going to change that.” That made Charles chuckle quietly.  
  
Alex and Darwin turned around at the noise. “Something we should know about?” Darwin asked, an amused brow quirking up.  
  
“Nothing,” Charles snorted as he stifled his laughter.  
  
Alex turned around, his grin showing that he obviously had been eavesdropping, “McCoy just got daddy’s approval is all.”  
  
The blush spread over Hank’s cheeks as the entire backseat erupted into knowing snickers.  
  
“Hey!” Moira called from the front. “I think we’re here.”  
  
Everyone shifted to the nearest window. Charles glanced out to see that they were in the thick of New York’s mountainous forests, but the van was on a smooth well-paved road that was completely different from the usual rumble of the nearby highway. Peering through the glass, there didn’t seem to be anything like civilization for miles. The only thing that stood out among the towering trees and the road was the lone building in front of them.  
  
It looked as if someone simply dropped a million dollar mansion in the middle of the wild. The building was at least four stories tall, and debatably bigger than Charles’ own. But what was the purpose for such a building?  
  
Sean gave a long low whistle as the car came to a stop. “Fancy,” he said.  
  
“That’s Erik’s car, isn’t it?” Moira asked, pointing towards the familiar black car in front of them.  
  
Charles leaned forward and eyed the car. It was Erik’s, and it was also empty. There wasn’t another car in sight. Charles didn’t know what that meant but it did strike him as odd.  
  
“Alright,” he said. “Moira, Hank, and I will go in and take a look. One of us will come and get you once we find Erik and Raven.” The group nodded, then for safe measure Charles added, “If someone doesn’t come back in twenty minutes, you need to go back to the Reserve and get help.”  
  
Sean visibly gulped while Darwin nodded, “Good luck.”  
  
“Thanks,” Charles said as Moira and Hank opened their doors. Then he stepped out onto the unfamiliar territory.  
  
\---  
  
The interior of the building came as a bit of a surprise.  Moira paused at the sight of it, taking everything in with awe as she breathed, “A hotel?”  
  
It looked like any upscale hotel Charles had ever been in. There was a check-in desk, a small sitting area, stairs that led to the numerous other floors. Above the desk was a sign, “Welcome to the Moon Bay Hotel,” with an attractive woman occupying the computer under it.  
  
As the door closed behind them the girl looked up - she couldn’t be older than Raven - and even from a distance Charles could see her nostrils flare as she sniffed the air. A Were then.  
  
It took a moment but a bright smile came across the woman’s face as she stepped out from behind the desk and approached them. “Hello there, how can I help you?”  
  
“Yes hi,” Moira said, “We’re looking for-“  
  
Charles quickly wedged himself between her and the female Were, and interrupted, “A bathroom.” He put on his best smile and repeated, “A bathroom, and… directions please. We’re a bit lost.”  
  
The desk clerk laughed, “I’ll say, where are you heading to?”  
  
“Er…” Charles cast a glance at Hank as he said, “I’ll let my brother here tell you that. My wife and I really need a bathroom.”  
  
He watched the woman’s smile tighten, but she was the picture of professionalism as she nodded. “Down the hall and to the right.”  
  
“Thank you,” Charles said grabbing Moira’s hand and tugging her in that direction. Leaving Hank stammering behind them.  
  
They weren’t even five feet away before Moira clutched his hand and whispered, “What was that about?”  
  
“We don’t know who is involved with this or not,” Charles whispered back, and Moira didn’t argue the point.  
  
“You think the clerk…” Moira’s voice trailed off as Charles eagerly shushed her.  
  
“I _think_ ,” he said, “that news can travel fast among hotel staff and eventually reach the wrong people. We need to be careful.”  
  
If Erik really was involved with shady business, asking for him would have revealed that they were involved as well. But Moira didn’t know the extent to which they couldn’t trust people. Three humans asking for a Were’s room - that would have been a dead give away.  
  
They had just barely avoided disaster.  
  
Beside him Moira sighed, “Alright, what are we doing?”   
  
“I’d bet the Reserve that they’re being kept in a room,” Charles said. “You take the second floor and I’ll take the third. Just pretend to be lost and er… talk to yourself. Raven will hear your voice and recognize it if she’s there.”  
  
Moira raised a brow, “She will?”  
  
“Just trust me,” Charles urged. “We’ll meet on the fourth floor.”  
  
“Okay, but we’ll have to be quick. Hank can’t stall forever.”  
  
Charles nodded as they walked past the restrooms. Just a little further down the hallway they found a second staircase and took it. On the second floor Moira veered down the hallway, casting a unsure look back over her shoulder. Charles gave his best reassuring smile and continued to climb the stairs.  
  
He slowly started down the hallway on the third floor. For all intents and purposes it looked like any other hotel hallway. Brightly illuminated, with a plush red carpet that lined it all the way down.   
  
Eyeing the doors cautiously he began to talk, “I wonder if there’s a bathroom here? My this place is much bigger than I thought…” He wanted to call out Erik’s name, maybe even Raven, but Charles knew that would give away the entire plan. He continued to call out softly to no one in particular. But none of the doors stirred at his voice.  
  
A little more than halfway down the hall Charles forced himself to speak louder, unsure if Raven could hear him or not. “This would be a lot easier if someone would help me out. I honestly have no idea where I am going… oh!”  
  
The unmistakable noise of the door knob turning caught his attention. Charles spun around to see a door he had just passed opening slowly and held his breath.  
  
Out stepped a beautiful woman. Blonde hair, pale skin, and curious pale blue eyes. She looked tall but Charles realized it was only the white stilettos she was wearing. Everything she wore was white and expensive-looking. Just the sight of it made Charles, still dressed for outside work in sweats and his dirt-covered flannel, recoil slightly.  
  
She looked around, expression bored until her eyes fell on him. Immediately Charles saw the unmistakable flare of the nostrils. Another Were, and worse her eyes lit up like an animal’s spotting a meal.  
  
“Hello there,” the woman purred, making her appear more like a giant cat instead of a wolf. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“I’m… a little lost., Charles managed, his eyes trained on the woman in front of him, still unsure if she was a threat or not.  
  
As soon as he spoke the woman smiled. Something about the wicked gleaming of white teeth nudged at Charles’ instinct to run— _run_.  
  
“Sebastian darling, you might want to come out and see this,” she called into the room.  
  
Charles inched back farther as the door opened and a man dressed in a clean pressed suit stepped out. His brows climbed up at the sight of Charles standing in the hall way, and that was when Charles knew he was looking at an important man. Not just that, an Alpha, Erik’s Alpha. “Oh, what is this?”  
  
“Nothing,” Charles said quickly, continuing his backtrack, “just a lost tourist. Haha, I was looking for my wife. Can’t find her anywhere.”  
  
Sebastian laughed as if Charles had told him some polite joke. “Wife? Oh that’s funny, because when I did my research, Charles Xavier didn’t have a wife.”  
  
All Charles could do at the sound of his name was swallow the very large lump of fear that appeared in his throat and breathe, “Oh… bugger.”  
  
\---  
  
Moira didn’t get far, she barely got halfway down the hall, moving as cautiously as she could before the desk clerk appeared behind her. Her pretty young face twisted in frustration and anger as their eyes met. “There you are.”  
  
“Oh,” Moira blinked, feigning stupidity as she looked around the hall. “Yes, my husband ran off. I can’t seem to find him.”  
  
“I bet he did,” the desk clerk sighed as she marched over and seized Moira by the arm. She had a stronger grip than the biologist would have first thought as she pulled back her down the hallway.  
  
Moira made sure to keep talking in hopes that Raven would hear. “Wait! I need to find him.”  
  
“I’ll find him,” snapped the woman, “as soon as I escort you back outside. This place is a privately owned establishment, ma’am. People aren’t allowed to just waltz in here and look around. Our guests pay for privacy and quiet.”  
  
Moira blinked. “Who do you have here? Celebrities?”  
  
“I’m sorry, I can’t release that information.” The desk clerk didn’t pause as they reached the stairs and started to descend back to the main floor.  
  
In the entrance way, she saw Hank standing by the door with a male clerk standing beside him. Moira was pushed towards him roughly as the woman snapped, “We gave you directions to the city. Now please wait in your car while we get your husband, ma’am.”  
  
“But I…” Moira started before Hank’s hand fell on her shoulder. The male clerk was already opening the door and giving them an annoyed look.  
  
“He’ll be with you soon,” the woman repeated, “I _assure_ you.”  
  
“Fine,” Moira snapped, making sure to give the woman a glare of her own as Hank lead her out the door.  
  
The van was still waiting for them in exactly the same place they left it. At their approach the door opened and Darwin stuck out his head, dark eyes narrowed as he said, “Where’s Charles?”  
  
“Don’t worry, they’re bringing him,” Moira said, tossing her brown hair back as she huffed.  
  
Alex appeared beside his lover. “I’ll assume it didn’t go as planned,” he said, “So what do we do now?”  
  
“Wait for Charles to get here and come up with something else,” Moira answered putting her hand on her hips. “There is definitely something not right about this place.”  
  
No one said anything in reply as they waited for Charles.  
  
Ten minutes passed, then twenty…  
  
But Charles never came out.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I am so so so so so so so sorry it took so long. There are excuses along with plain old writers block but I won't bore you with them. I hope this chapter is as exciting as I planned on it being. Yeah I know, still one more chapter to go. It kind of snuck up on me, and I really hope this chapter was worth the wait. I PROMISE the next one won't take as long. 
> 
> I will take the time now to warn you. Once again, this story has a warning for violence. There is more blood shed and gore in this chapter. Please enjoy.

“Are you ready?” Erik asked, checking himself in the mirror one last time before turning to Raven.  
  
The female Were jumped up off the bed and nodded. She’d been antsy the last forty minutes as their trial neared.  Her dress was wrinkled from where she had carelessly sprawled herself across the bed, but Raven’s blonde waves still looked immaculate in the dim hotel room light.  Though her eyes were bright with anxiety, she assumed her best game face with ease as she said, “Let’s go.”  
  
Erik couldn’t help but glance one last time in the mirror, taking in the pristine suit, straight brown tie, and his own clean shaven face. They were a reminder of his former life, the endless traveling under Shaw’s command. These clothes had symbolized his status as the Hunter of the Hellfire Pack. He had lived in the same suits and ties for years, but now they looked wrong on him. After living on the Westchester Reservation and feeling the woods tug at his wild instincts, he couldn’t wait to take the suit off. To lie in bed naked with his mate’s warmth by his side.  
  
He tugged casually at his tie, loosening it the slightest bit before nodding. Erik led the way out the door, listening to Raven’s light footsteps dance behind him and the door close with a gentle click instead of his usual slam. The hotel was still empty as they made their way down the halls, Erik’s gait stiff and purposeful.  
  
As a Were-owned establishment, Moon Bay Hotel no doubt had a meeting room specially designed for such matters, built to handle Were gatherings, disputes, and trials. Erik had only been in such a place twice in his lifetime. On the first occasion, Shaw invited an East Coast pack to his own privately-owned hotel in Miami. The gathering had turned into a showdown when the East Coast Alpha challenged the head of the Hellfire Pack; the night ended in a blood bath. The second time was to witness the coupling of Shaw with his alpha female. Before the coupling even started, another female - a young Were by the name of Angel - had challenged Emma for the position of head female. That particular fight hadn’t ended in death like the one before, but there had been blood and Emma’s strength as alpha female was exhibited for all to see.  
  
Both times blood had been spilt, meaning the odds weren’t exactly in his favor that Shaw would let Erik and Raven simply walk away. But Erik was sure of one thing - if Shaw wanted blood he would offer his own rather than let Raven get hurt.  
  
When they entered the main lobby it was completely empty. Erik half expected the boorish door man from before to lead them to the meeting room. Not that he needed to be lead there - he could simply follow the scent, Shaw’s smell was fresh in the main lobby. But the lack of activity did prompt a frown to pull at his lips.  
  
Raven also seemed taken aback as she carefully nudged him, “Where is everyone?”  
  
“I don’t know,” he answered quietly, “but don’t worry about it.” Erik sniffed the air again to pick up the direction of the meeting room. He got a whiff of Emma Frost, unmistakable from the amount of perfume she wore. The touch of it sent fire up his nostrils. The presence of a few familiar pack members lingered underneath her scent. The doorman’s and hotel receptionist’s smells still lingered in the air as well, along with…  
  
Erik paused as the underlying musk of wild wolf and fresh soil hit his nostrils. A smell he would pick up anywhere.  
  
Charles.  
  
His head whipped around, looking for the source of the smell. The lobby was still empty other than himself and Raven. The blonde raised an eyebrow at his wild look. “Hey, are you okay, Erik?”  
  
He rested his eyes on her. It was possible that he had caught a fresh whiff from himself or Raven, whose clothes still reeked of home. She hadn’t noticed the smell at least. Erik shook his head slowly and forced himself to take a deep soothing breath. His lungs filled themselves up, once again, with the heady smell of wolves and piney wood. “I’m fine.”  
  
Raven nodded. “Good, because if you are going to freak out then it would be on me to keep it together, and right now I’m just a little jumpy.” She gave a small smile and nudged his ribs softly. Urging him forward.  
  
“Don’t be,” Erik found himself saying as they started walking again. “You’ll do fine.” They followed Emma’s scent, though Erik noticed that no matter how hard he searched, Shaw’s was absent. There was no need to point this out to Raven; instead, as a pair of large oak doors appeared before them, he said, “Just keep on your toes.”  
  
“What a weird thing to say,” Raven snorted with a small smile. “I’m always on my toes.” Glancing towards her, though, Erik could see the wariness that had settled in her eyes. The same look he remembered noticing the first time he laid eyes on Raven. Back then, in a time that felt like another life, she had looked like a startled doe; now the look was that of a fierce huntress. Her humor, he knew, was how Raven dealt with the clear tension in the air. Her nose wrinkled as they neared the doors, indicating that the smells of other Weres were still getting to her.  
  
Erik didn’t say anything in response. Instead he reached out, gripped the solid steel knob before them,and pulled back.  
  
The gathering room was darker than he had expected. The light fixtures on the ceiling had been dulled by dust and time, but it set the sort of mood that Shaw was famous for. Draped along both walls was a heavy red fabric, in the trademark color of the Hellfire pack.  Erik’s eyes were drawn to the symbolic stone table that was set in every gathering room. This one was draped in a white cloth, decorated with a lit candelabra and dishes, as if they were going to have a pleasant dinner instead of discussing business. Another one of Shaw’s tricks. Were business was generally blunt. Shaw, however, liked a bit more fanfare.  
  
A table, but no chairs. Plates, but no food on the table. There was no one in the room.  
  
Erik made sure to step into the room first, keen eyes scrutinizing every empty corner, looking for a threat. As soon his body was fully into the room, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Instinctively he stepped away, but he had no time to do anything else before Emma Frost brushed up against his side.  
  
“Hello, sugar,” she greeted, blue eyes slanted in his direction. A thin arm hooked around his own and Erik had no choice but to let it.  
  
To Raven’s credit, she didn’t seem startled at the appearance of another female. Erik noticed that she did shift her stance to get a better look at the alpha, and didn’t miss the pointed look Emma gave her.  
  
“Emma,” he greeted, making sure to give her a glance out of the corner of his eye. To not acknowledge her would be considered disrespectful, and he didn’t need any more problems at the moment.  
  
“It’s been a while, Erik. Did you miss me?” Emma crooned, snuggling up to his side. She wasn’t very small, with the height and figure of a model. The outfit she wore was modest, for Emma. Only her shoulders and a gracious portion of cleavage were exposed. A good sign, Erik noted - it meant she wasn’t planning on fighting today. Naturally blonde hair was curled to perfection, not left in natural waves like Raven. Still the two could pass for sisters. Even their wolf forms were practically identical.  
  
Erik felt the mask of a smile slip on with practiced ease. “Of course, though I must say I’m disappointed in the welcome here.”  
  
Emma let out a polite little huff. “Sebastian will be out soon. In the meantime, introduce me to our guest.”  
  
Raven stepped forward dutifully, her eyes tilted down in a show of respect that Erik hadn’t taught her. He couldn’t help but feel a real smile touch his lips at the sight as Raven introduced herself. “I’m Raven.”  
  
“Charles Xavier’s sibling, I assume,” Emma raised an interested brow. Then, as if as an afterthought, she added, “Sorry about your loss.”  
  
Raven’s smile was small and sincere as she answered, “I understand there was no way around it.”  
  
“It’s for the good of our kind,” Emma said with a nod.  
  
Raven was doing a good job with her acting, but Erik knew he couldn’t push his luck by allowing the conversation to go on much longer.   
  
“How are you enjoying New York, Emma?” he interjected, eager for the change in subject.   
  
The Alpha wolf smiled, a small secretive touch to her lips. “It’s fine, though the weather isn’t exactly to my taste. There’s a reason we live in Miami.”   
  
“Well, we won’t take up to much of your time,” Erik said. “You’ll be back to your beach and sun before long.” Though he personally had grown fond of the fall weather. The brisk morning chill, and the relief of going back into a warm house to cuddle with an even warmer body.   
  
Emma nodded but said nothing else. Making small talk with the woman had always been an uncomfortable affair. The only thing Emma liked talking about was herself. The only other time she seemed happy to speak was when she was barking out Shaw’s orders to the pack.   
  
The doors opened behind them with an echoing creak. Emma seemed nonplussed by the noise as she turned and greeted the newcomer with a sexy smile. Erik felt his chest tighten when he realized Shaw was standing right behind him, and then came the man’s voice.  
  
“Erik! So good to finally see you.”  
  
He turned slowly, feeling that the slightest movement could be the wrong one. Raven had already turned and was taking in the Hellfire pack leader. Sebastian Shaw moved towards them, flanked on either side by were two pack members Erik knew well: Azazel, Shaw’s secondary hunter in the pack, and Janos. The hotel doorman trailed behind, there to oversee the proceedings.  
  
Shaw had a distinct look, with his sharp nose and even sharper eyes. Although Shaw was a man well into his forties, his features were youthful. On the streets, he turned heads. Demanding attention from both man and Were alike, wearing a white suit accompanied with a red tie.   
  
His two thugs were dressed similarly, Janos wearing a matching white suit, and Azazel, as usual, was wearing all black. Erik’s keen eyes took note of the limp in the other Hunter’s step. Azazel’s entire left leg seemed to be injured somehow. He wasn’t putting any weight on it when he could. The man still loomed threateningly by Shaw’s side despite the injury, but Erik couldn’t help but wonder what had brought it on.  
  
The smile on Shaw’s face was misleading. Deceptively warm and open, like everything in the man’s body movements. Only Erik knew to heed the keen look in the Alpha’s eyes, the way they shifted from Raven, then to Emma, finally resting on himself. He didn’t approach Shaw until the man stopped a perfect two strides away from him, and then gave the appropriate low, lingering bow. After a moment, Raven did the same; she didn’t straighten until Erik did so. The look on Shaw’s face was unadulterated pleasure.  
  
“Welcome,” Shaw greeted them again before he turned to Raven. “I believe this is our little mole.”  
  
“Mole?” Raven asked, shooting a quick look at Erik.  
  
Erik slung an arm around her shoulder and gave a firm squeeze as he said, “May I introduce Raven. The abandoned Were I told you about, and former sister to Charles Xavier.”  
  
Shaw’s smile widened at the words and he took Raven in with a pleased look. “Well, I must say I’m impressed. To be honest I wasn’t really considering letting a traitor into our pack, but I might reconsider it.” His eyes slid over to Erik as he added, “We could also use more females. Right, Erik?”  
  
“Of course,” Erik answered stiffly. “Though that is something I would like to discuss during this gathering.”  
  
A loud huff of laughter escaped Shaw as he clapped his hands. “Ah, straight to the point as always, Erik. Well, it looks like there is a lot we have to discuss here. Why don’t we make ourselves comfortable?” He gestured to the table behind them, “Please take a seat.”  
  
All the bodies shifted as everyone moved to their respective seats. The movement was enough distraction that Erik shared a look with Raven. There were only four places to sit, and  Azazel and Janos were left standing. They poured the wine like simple waiters. A simple bowl of fruits was placed in the middle of the table, but it held no other food.  
  
Shaw made a show of unfolding his napkin and putting it in his lap while Emma inspected her nails. The interest that had been displayed in her eyes before was hidden now, replaced by disguised boredom. There was a reason Emma Frost was alpha female. She could play dumb like a pro, but when it came to fight or flight she would be up with the best of them - claws out and fangs ready to draw blood.  
  
“So,” Shaw started, reaching forward and grabbing a strawberry from the fruit bowl, “Let’s start with the first order of business. The good before the bad.”  
  
That was his cue. Erik cleared his throat, and grabbed at the hand that Raven had left limp on the table, to add a little more realism to their fake plea. Raven’s head whipped around to look at him, and she smiled.  
  
“Pack master,” he said, “over the past couple weeks Raven and I have fallen in love. We’ve mated recently.”  
  
Emma’s eyes shot up and Shaw flashed him toothy smile. “I knew there was something different about you, Erik,” he said. “I also had my suspicions when you pleaded for this one’s life. I must say, though, I never thought of you as one to lose control on the job.”  
  
Erik decided not to comment on the pointed look Shaw gave him. The man didn’t know the half of it. He shrugged his shoulders almost innocently and answered, “I see what I want and I go for it.”  
  
“That you do,” Shaw said with a nod.  
  
“But what I want to ask you today is permission to let Raven and I start our own pack.”  
  
The table went still at the request and even Shaw’s face crinkled. Emma shot her mate a pointed look, and Azazel made an undignified noise behind him. Raven squeezed Erik’s hand again and leaned forward eagerly. “I know this is probably a surprise for you. But Erik and I decided, since my experience with packs in nonexistent, that we should start off just the two of us.” She looked into his eyes and fluttered her lashes like a love struck teen might do.  
  
The uncomfortable silence hung in the air longer than Erik would have liked. He risked looking in Shaw’s direction and could see the gears turning behind the man’s eyes. Then finally -  finally -  he picked up his napkin to dab at the juice lingering on his chin and said, “You’re asking a lot from me, Erik.”  
  
“I know,” he answered promptly.  
  
“And you’re the best hunter this pack has.”  
  
“I understand.”  
  
Shaw shook his head as if the mere thought of Erik leavingwas unbearable. “We still haven’t discussed the reason you’re here, or have you forgotten that you killed one of our own?”  
  
Raven stiffened beside him but Erik didn’t back down. “I haven’t forgotten.”  
  
“So you want me to pardon that? Pretend it never happened? Do  you a favor and then let you leave?” The rise in Shaw’s voice was like watching a wave grow in both height and power.  
  
There was no right answer to the question; the best choice was to stay quiet. And just like that the tidal wave quieted down. The tightness that had appeared in the alpha’s face smoothed away as he slowly composed himself. He was too self conscious of the people around him to lose his cool in front of someone who wasn’t part of the pack. At least for now.  
  
“I must be getting soft in my old age,” Shaw said finally with a quiet shake of his head and a look at Emma, whose only response was a small smile back. Then the pack leader’s full attention was directed back at Erik. “I think I can make your request happen, Erik.”  
  
And that was that. It was almost too easy. In fact, it  was too easy. The shock might have shown on his face for a brief second while Raven jumped in her seat. Erik worked his jaw, struggling to compose himself as he said, “You’re too kind.”  
  
“You’re lucky I like you, Erik,” Shaw continued. “But you know, other packs will demand some form of retribution for the death of Victor. Even if he was a loner, he was one of us.”  
  
‘ I knew it,’ the thought echoed in Erik’s head even as he nodded.  
  
“Blood for blood, Erik. You understand, don’t you?”  
  
He did - it was the way of Shaw’s pack. Placing a reassuring hand on Raven’s shoulder, he stood, preparing to give whatever blood tribute Shaw demanded. When Erik looked in the direction of his pack master, though, the man was wearing a nasty smirk.  
  
He heard a door open. The noise didn’t come from the front door, the one he had used to enter the room. The only door in the room - or so Erik had thought. Two shadows bloomed across the opposite wall, and two things clicked in place.  
  
First, the heavy draping hid an extra door. Second, it wasn’t his blood that his Alpha wanted.  
  
Then he couldn’t think anymore. Because stepping out from behind the curtains was Charles.  
  
\---  
  
“This is so not good,” Alex moaned from his chair, feet propped up on the dashboard as he glanced out the window. “The complete opposite of good. This is bad.”  
  
“I think it’s safe to say that this is even worse than bad,” Hank added, his voice more level than he would have thought possible under the circumstances. “This is catastrophic.”  
  
“Seriously, dude,” Alex huffed with a nervous laugh, “who - besides the weather man - says c atastrophic ?”  
  
Darwin quietly thunked him on the shoulder and with a soft “ow” Alex fell silent. Which was just as well, but Hank didn’t know where all his joking was getting them. Charles had been gone for over an hour. The front door was locked, and Moira and Sean had been scouting around the building for another way in but the place was locked up tighter than Fort Knox.  
  
A finger tapped against the window several times in quick succession, jostling the boys from their thoughts. Hank reached for the door at the sight of a flustered Moira and winded Sean, but the two remained firmly planted outside the van.  
  
“The place seems completely abandoned,” Moira said, “which can’t mean anything good. We need to get inside  now .”  
  
“And how do you suggest-”  
  
“I can break a window.” Alex suggested, looking back and forth between the occupants of the car. At Moira’s look of motherly disapproval, he looked sheepish, “You can’t tell me your that surprised.”   
  
Darwin’s dark eyes narrowed in concern in response to Moira’s sure assessment of trouble. They shared a long understanding before the woman sighed. “Its our best plan. We’ll need to work quickly,” Moira said. “In my experience silence is never a good thing, and this is pretty dead.”  
  
“Alright,” Darwin nodded, opening his door while his hand reached towards the small of his back. Hank followed the movement with his eyes, then jerked back in surprise as he realized that the object the other man was pulling something out was a gun.  
  
“Jesus, Darwin, wha- when did you get that?  How did you get that?”  
  
Darwin didn’t seem at all fazed by the questions. “We came from a rough neighborhood, and after being mugged while driving a cab for the third time… this thing became a necessity.”  
  
“And it will be useful again,” Moira said; any shock that had shown on her face was gone. Now she looked resigned, even grateful, for Darwin’s foresight. “It will be the five of us against who knows how many. The odds aren’t exactly in our favor. We need anything that can give us an edge. Right now we have surprise and a gun. The odds that’ll we’ll get out of this unscathed are still pretty low. So we’ll need to keep our eyes and ears sharp. Understand?”  
  
Honesty and leadership had always been the traits that had most helped Moira excel in life, and she hoped that they would now help the children with her. She looked at them all, wide young eyes staring at her. Fear echoed in the depths of each person’s eyes, though they all tried to hide it. But all nodded in agreement and everybody climbed out of Sean’s van with a tight determination to their movements.  
  
They had something else that would give them an advantage, she realized as they started for the nearest window.  All of their kids were brave.  
  
\---  
  
Erik was proud of himself. He didn’t shout, didn’t move, though the ice he could feel on his face was a sure sign that it was frozen in place. Even his insides were cold, chilled all the way down from his throat to the pit of his stomach. For the first time, his usually quick instincts were faltering.  
  
His mate was here. Here, in the most dangerous place imaginable. He was terrified. Honestly and truly terrified. And to show it would mean showing weakness in front of his alpha.  
  
He eagerly drank in the sight of Charles. Noting the long scratch that traveled down the side of his cheek, and the high angle at which the biologist held his head. Even though Charles’ eyes were wide and bright with fear, he was still managing to hold his own. The man was still dressed in his dirtied outdoor clothes, looking even smaller in the oversized flannel, even wedged between two petite female Weres. One was Angel, a young female from the Hellfire pack. The other was the female Were of the Moon Bay Hotel, who also acted as the hotel receptionist; her long fingers were now wrapped around the biologist’s throat. Ready to crush it on Shaw’s word.  Charles’ clothes indicated he had been taken here straight from home.   
  
The thought of home was what finally made Erik see red. His chest seized up at the possibility that someone had come onto his home territory while he was away and taken his mate.  
  
Erik managed to keep his composure, but he forgot that Raven was still green. The chair noisily scraped the floor as she stood up. “Charles!”  
  
Erik closed his eyes. He didn’t dare look at Raven, and all the courage that had been set in Charles’ features crumpled for the briefest seconds. Across the table Shaw’s face lit up in playful surprise. “Charles Xavier, back from the dead!” he proclaimed. “Not only was I surprised to find the professor whole and well, but he was here! Sneaking around the hallways of a Were owned hotel.”  
  
Blood filled Erik’s mouth as he bit the inside of his cheek. Charles, the idiot. Shaw sent a glare of pure hatred in the direction of Erik’s mate. “Probably searching for more of our secrets no doubt. But the real question is, why the professor was here in the first place. He said he was looking for you, Erik.” It was a relief when Shaw’s gaze slid off of Charles, even if it was to redirect itself towards Erik.  
  
He heard Raven hiss under her breath beside him, “Dammit Charles!”  
  
“So here’s what we’re going to do,” announced Shaw as he clapped his hands enthusiastically. “I’ll give you what you want, Erik. You and young Raven can run off and do whatever you please, but before you do we’ll have to tie up this loose end. I’ll even give you a choice. You can kill the professor here and now, give him a quick death - or I can do it. Though I can’t promise the same courtesy.”  
  
Something broke loose in Erik at the suggestion. He turned to his alpha, snarling sharply, “You can’t-”  
  
He didn’t even finish the threat before Shaw was standing up. All the false kindness melted from his face and was replaced with the dangerous aura of an Alpha. Eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring, he said very slowly, “You do not bark orders at me, Erik. I am still your pack leader and I make the decisions here, and your job is to listen to them.”  
  
Shaw was right, of course. The only way he could prevent Charles’ death now was to challenge his alpha directly, and with Emma nearby there was no way the fight would be equal; his loss would be guaranteed. He would have to be smart, but even thinking about the best possible scenario, he couldn’t see a way for this to end well.  
  
Raven was bristling beside him. Her eyes darted across the room, taking in all the Weres facing her. It was six against two - the odds weren’t good. She wouldn’t dare do something stupid.  
  
But then again, this was Charles’ sister.  
  
A fierce sound escaped Raven as she turned to Shaw. “You may have Erik wrapped around your finger. But I’m not a part of anything that belongs to you,” she sneered.  
  
Shaw’s face went blank at the words; he stared at Raven as if seeing the young woman for the first time, and that was all she needed. As fast as her quick reflexes would allow, Raven lifted the table and shoved it towards the two Alphas. Shaw caught it with ease, but several of the fruits and tableware toppled over, staining Emma’s white outfit. The she-wolf directed a cold glare in the direction Raven had been standing, but the younger woman was already on the move.  
  
Taking advantage of the distraction, Raven leapt over the table and darted for her brother. The Moon Bay Were hesitated; she hadn’t expected the rebellion or Raven’s speed. She had just enough time to push Charles behind her, fingers starting to squeeze before Raven grabbed her wrist and broke it with a audible snap.  
  
The receptionist howled in pain, stumbling back from the siblings. Angel stared with wide surprised eyes, the same look Charles had worn when he had first stepped out from behind the curtain, and Erik felt hot satisfaction as he moved in Raven’s stead. She didn’t see him until he was right beside her. Her head swerved around, black hair tickling his skin before he twined his fingers into it and yanked her to the ground. Using his own body weight to assist, Erik slammed Angel onto her back and whiplashed her head to hit the hard cement. She was out cold in a second.  
  
When he looked up, Raven had knocked the receptionist onto the ground as well, her knee pinning the woman in place. Before following at Erik’s example. The Moon Bay Were’s head hit the ground with a hard thump, and a small trail of blood dribbled on the ground next to her. Charles was bracing himself against the wall, looking white. Erik stepped in front of him quickly, using his body to shield his mate as he turned back to the remaining threat.  
  
Shaw’s face was pale as well, but that was more terrifying than reassuring. The Alpha wasn’t one who got red in the face when angry. That would show his emotions too easily. Instead he got quieter. More calm.  
  
Emma looked annoyed, but her mouth was still curled in a smug smile. Two adversaries were down, but the three of them were still outnumbered, and everyone knew it.  
  
\---  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
The sound of Erik’s voice jarred Charles out of his daze. One minute a stranger was threatening to break his neck, and the next thing he knew Raven had thrown his captor to the ground and Erik was by his side. He knew Werewolf reflexes were quick; he’d seen the two in action the night that Pietro had died. God, that seemed like ages ago.  
  
He blinked as his head fell to the side, coming to a rest against the cool wall. Erik wasn’t looking at him. The man’s eyes were glued on Sebastian Shaw, and Charles couldn’t fault him for that.  
  
“I’m okay,” he answered even though his mouth was thick was fear. Erik nodded stiffly. It was hard for Charles to swallow after lying to his lover for the second time that day. Later they could deal with the aftereffects of his deceit, but right now they needed to focus if they wanted to stay alive.  
  
“So you’ve chosen the traitor over your own pack, Erik?” Shaw called from across the room. “How disappointing.”  
  
Janos and Azazel closed in around their leader. Forming a line of the Hellfire pack, wiith the Moon Bay doorman standing defensively off to the side. Charles hugged his body closer to the wall. They would all attack at once, like the wolves they were. Pack dynamics would work in their favor, overpowering Raven and Erik with ease.  
  
Erik must have realized the same thing, as he crooked his head to the side and hissed to the siblings behind him. “Raven, when they attack, you stand your ground here and protect Charles. I’ll take on the alphas.”  
  
“Sure thing,” Raven nodded as she moved closer to her brother. “I can handle them.” But Charles wasn’t so sure that she could. Raven was quick, but not fast enough for three adult males. He would have to try to help her when the opportunity presented itself.  
  
He looked back at the Weres lined in front of him. “The one with the scar,” he whispered to Erik quickly. “I think I managed to dislocat his knee earlier.”  
  
An undeniable smile touched Erik’s face at that. “You did that to Azazel?”  
  
Charles lowered his head to hide his own proud grin at his mate’s words. “Well he got me back for it,” he said, the scratch on his cheek burning as he remembered. “Luckily your pack leader didn’t want me too bruised.”  
  
Erik’s smile was gone in an instant. “Just try to stay out of more trouble, Charles.”  
  
“I won’t make any promises,” he replied, and watched Erik’s scowl return. Even though the Were was displeased by what he said, Charles knew it was the truth. If he had the option of following them again, he would take it in a heart beat. The time he had spent locked in the room with the Hellfire pack had shown him the type of man Shaw was. He would have never let Erik or Raven go. He’d rather kill Erik while the hunter was still his then let the Were be his own man. At least this way, he could fight beside his lover, be with him in their last moments. If these were in fact their last moments.  
  
On some secret signal the Hellfire pack moved as a single body. Azazel and Janos, along with the hotel clerk, moved expectantly to the side where Raven and Charles stood ready. Emma and Shaw were focused wholly on Erik.  
  
He wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that no one had moved forward yet, but a plan was already forming in his head. Azazel was the strongest out of the three and already injured. If they could take him out quickly, there was a good chance he and Raven could do some damage to the remaining two.  
  
Heavy damage wasn’t the same as killing though, and the sinking feeling in his stomach told Charles that someone would have to die today so he and his family could live. He didn’t even have a weapon in hand.   
  
The Moon Bay Were lunged first, aiming for Charles. His eyes were dark with menace and his mouth opened as if he planned on ripping his target’s throat open with just his human teeth. Raven moved in front of her brother in the blink of an eye; one moment she was the small young blonde, the next a raging white wolf. She used the momentum of her transformation and the weight of her new form to her advantage. She tackled the Were to the ground and tore into his shoulder.  
  
At the same time Erik moved towards the Alphas. Charles’ eyes followed his mate. He saw Emma running to meet him, a grin plastered on Shaw’s face - and a different sound. The main door banged open with a shout. He didn’t see who the new arrivals were before a body slammed into him. Heavy paws sunk into his shoulders as Charles fell forward, a wolf pinning him to the ground.  
  
His own shout was drowned out by the ringing sound of a gun shot. The familiar bang made Charles’ stomach lurch up into his throat as he remembered Pietro’s following yelp of pain. He thrashed under the body, frantic to see what was going on around him. His foot kicked against hitting something hard in its wild attempts.  Above him the wolf let out a ferocious growl. Much too close for comfort, then a searing pain ripped into his left leg. Sharp claws and soon teeth tore the fragile skin wide open, and Charles’ scream joined the chaos of the room.  
  
\---  
  
The familiar stretch of his transformation felt good. His anger pushed him through the transformation, and afterwards his fur stood on end from the immense threat before him. It seemed Erik could hear every movement in the room. Every growl, every heart pumping blood, every haggard breath filled his ears. He relished in the power of his second form, even as he looked forward and saw that Emma had transformed as well. Shaw, however remained in his human form. He was still cocky. The alpha wouldn’t have the same look on his face once Erik ripped Emma’s heart out.  
  
During his transformation the door had opened. New scents filled the room, and for a moment he panicked. Reinforcements? Except they didn’t smell like Weres, they smelled like…  
  
Family.  
  
He didn’t look, but the unmistakable sound of Darwin’s shouting assured him that his makeshift pack was in the room, by some strange miracle. A voice shouted out commands - Moira. That was a surprise.  
  
Emma snarled opposite him as the human scent filled her nose. “You’re relying on humans now for help, Erik?” she asked in their throaty language. Her eyes flickered to something over his shoulder and darkened. Her head tilted back to look at Shaw in a silent question.  
  
The same stormy expression was on the man’s face as he nodded, “Go deal with them.” There was so much noise in the room now, echoing as it bounced off the walls, that Erik almost missed the words. At the same time, the rich iron smell of blood filled his nostrils, making his head light.  
  
A second gun shot was fired and a wolf yelped from somewhere behind him. Not Raven, one of Shaw’s men. Good.  
  
Emma did a quick two-step and darted past him. Erik let her go. Raven would deal with her; his interest lay elsewhere.  
  
Remaining before him, Shaw stood like a statue. The man hadn’t even transformed yet. Erik’s lips pulled back in agitation, but it would work to his advantage. He shot forward, mouth open and ready to sink his teeth into the first body part he came in contact with. A smile flashed across Shaw’s face as Erik jumped.  
  
He didn’t hit a human. The colossal black wolf waited for Erik’s body to collide with it, and when he did it hardly moved. Erik forced himself to adjust quickly to the change; he snarled and snapped at any piece of fur he could get, but Shaw’s wolf form was much bigger than his. With effortless ease, the alpha’s jaws bit into his hunches and threw him to the ground.  
  
Erik’s entire skeleton rattled from the blow. His back ached, but he forced himself to keep moving despite the pain. Shaw was already on top of him, in a stance that demanded submission, snapping at Erik’s head as if he were a pup. “You’ve been such a disappointment, Erik. I would have never expected you to leave me - above all over a human.” Sharp teeth grazed one of his ears as Shaw took another nip. He wanted Erik to hear his lecture before ending it all. “I won’t lie to you, though, not like how you lied to me. I always expected it to end like this… for us, I mean.”  
  
A snarl escaped Erik as he continued to thrash. He was not surprised.  
  
“It’s not you, it’s me,” Shaw growled on. “I’m getting older and I know it. But I’m not quite ready to give up my position to anyone else at the moment. This whole debacle just made it easier to get rid of the competition. Reassert my authority and all that.”  
  
He stopped biting for a moment to sniff the air, a gruff laugh escaping him. “Smell that blood. Oh dear, Azazel isn’t looking too good over there, but it looks like Charles Xavier isn’t either.”  
  
“What?” Panic seized Erik  but he had to fight the urge to look. That would be the opening Shaw was hoping for. Instead he sniffed the air again, smelled the blood, heard Raven’s fighting and Moira’s distant cry. He couldn’t let his fear show.  
  
Instead he fought harder. Shaw moved to bite again, this time aiming for the jugular. Erik managed to duck his head to the side just in time and sink his teeth into the loose skin around the wolf’s shoulders. It ripped like paper under his jaws. Shaw howled and tried to land a fatal blow, but Erik’s hunched shoulders, protecting his vitals.  
  
He let go suddenly and Shaw staggered to the side, surprised by the abrupt freedom. Climbing to his feet as fast as possible, Erik tackled the large wolf to the ground. Now he had the upper hand and Shaw was on the defensive.  
  
The pack master hunched to protect his neck, but Erik wasn’t concerned with that. The wound he had torn open with his teeth was exposed and Erik viciously attacked it with his paws and teeth the same way he would any animal that he had hunted to the ground.  
  
Beneath him Shaw gasped in pain and Erik began to make a noise in the back of his throat that he had never made before. A noise only the devil could make. He didn’t even notice when the body underneath his jaws stopped struggling. His vision was red with blood lust and rage. His mouth was full of bits of muscle and blood.  
  
He didn’t stop - couldn’t stop, until someone carefully nudged him from behind. The touch startled Erik, still so deep in his instinct-driven daze that he spun around and bared his teeth at the intruder.  
  
Raven bowed her head obediently, and made a soothing whine. Her white pelt was only speckled in blood, not drenched like Erik’s fur. “He’s dead, Erik,” she said quietly.  
  
Behind her, Emma pulled herself to her feet and stared at the body of her dead mate. Her fur was mussed, b ut between the two females  neither looked like the victor or the defeated. Erik was still panting heavily while he regained his composure.  
  
He tentatively licked his lips and tasted the blood there. Shaw’s blood. A wave of triumph washed over him. Something he wanted the entire room to know about. He swallowed the howl, though, and stiffly changed back into his human form.  As a wolf the blood tasted too good and his body was still buzzing from the fight. Becoming human again did miracles in calming that side of him.  
  
The wounds Shaw had given him were large slashes that made every limb ache. Blood still stained his naked skin, but the chill of the room was calming. He sighed heavily, and gave the body lying next to him a long look. He had torn open the Alpha’s entire side. He took another deep breath. “I’m okay.”  
  
“Really,” Raven said, also transformed back into a beautiful naked woman. Only a few mild scratches touched her bare body. “Remind me never to get you mad.”  
  
They fell quiet after that, both staring at the body, but neither with looks of regret. Then the quiet that had fallen over the room hit Erik, and his body did a knee jerk reaction at how  wrong it was. “Charles?”  
  
“Erik, over here!” Alex called behind them. He turned and was finally able to assess the scene that had played out apart from himself and Shaw.  
  
The hotel clerk was dead, his body laying on its stomach in a pool of the man’s own blood, stemming from a bite to his collarbone and claw marks on his neck. Darwin loomed over Azazel and Janos with his gun poised. Azazel was clutching his side in clear pain from a gunshot wound while Janos had surrendered at the threat to his friend’s life. Angel’s still unconscious body lay next to them.  
  
A few feet away a crowd had blossomed. Hank, Alex, Sean, and Moira hovered over something that was blocked from Erik’s view, whispering in panicked voices. Erik realized he didn’t see Charles, and the last of his blood lust disappeared as worry grew rapidly in his chest .  
  
His bare feet slammed against the ground as he sprinted over to his pack. The humans parted for him, and there on the ground laid Charles. His head lay cradled in Hank’s lap as the Vet pulled a syringe from his arm. Hank’s wide eyes turned upwards at Erik’s sudden appearance, then he gave the needle a worried look. “It- it’s just animal tranquilizer,” he stammered. “Charles was in a lot of pain, I had to give him something if we’re going to get him home.”  
  
His hand waved down Charles’ body and Erik’s alert eyes followed it. And fell to his mate’s legs. The left pant leg was torn at the thigh, revealing the entire limb and all the damage done to it. There was no distinguishing where teeth or claws had torn into the skin; it was too mangled. Blood was everywhere, and Erik was sure he could see bone.  
  
He clamped his teeth down against a growl but a murderous look came across his features. “Who did this?” he demanded, turning to the three hellfire members nearby.  
  
“The one with the beard,” Darwin said, pointing at Azazel. “I wasn’t very polite when he wouldn’t get off.”  
  
“I’ll kill him,” Erik seethed, giving the Were a dark look.  
  
“We need to get him to a hospital,” Moira said, turning her sincere doe eyes to Erik.  
  
“The hospital? You can’t be serious!” Sean exclaimed, looking the palest out of all of them.He had little bit of blood smudged against his cheek - Charles’ blood, was Erik’s guess. “They’ll ask questions, and what are we supposed to say? A wolf ravaged him?”  
  
“He is in that line of business, Sean,” Alex pointed out, rolling his eyes. “So yes, we will tell them that.”  
  
“No, Sean has a point,” Hank said, looking strangely calm in the midst of all the chaos. Sean beamed. “If we say that, they’ll demand to know which wolf it was. There will be an entire investigation, and either way the police or someone will demand the animal be put down for such a vicious attack.”  
  
“Can you do anything?” Erik asked, just the barest hint of pleading in his voice. Hank didn’t look as if he’d heard it. The vet turned his attention back to Charles, assessing the damage.  
  
“I don’t have medicine for humans. He’ll need painkillers, morphine, and probably a brace. I can only do so much,” he answered.  
  
“A private doctor!” Raven called from across the room, still standing beside Emma Frost. Her face was an open book of concern even as she gently hugged her naked form. “Charles and I have had a private doctor since we were children. We can give him a call. He’ll keep everything confidential.”  
  
“Call him,” snapped Erik, “and let’s move Charles home now. How’d you even get here?” He gave the boys a narrow-eyed look, one that clearly made each of the humans uncomfortable and look nervously at one another.  
  
“My van!” Sean piped up first while patting his clothing for the keys.  
  
“Alright,” Erik said slowly, breathing through his nostrils. “Alright, let’s move quickly.”  
  
“Wait a minute!” Emma’s voice hissed, and everyone turned to see that the Alpha female had moved towards his dead mate’s body. Her foot pulled back from her quick inspection of the carcass, her face grim as she stared expectantly at Erik. “Erik, by law you are our Alpha now. You have responsibilities. And you’re just going to  leave,  without cleaning up this mess?”  
  
Erik blinked. He’d completely overlooked the laws. Once you broke one, the rest seemed to have little meaning. “My mate is injured, Emma,” he said calmly.  
  
“And mine is dead,” snapped Emma. There was no remorse in her voice, no grief. Just agitation. She was scared; Erik could practically smell the emotion. With Shaw gone, she didn’t know what her place in the pack would be anymore. That was Erik’s choice to make.  
  
“I don’t want Shaw’s position in the pack,” he stated firmly.  
  
Cool blue eyes squinted in suspicion, but Emma was a sensible woman as well as an ambitious one. He could hear the shuffle sound of Charles being lifted up behind him. His lover let out a pained breath, causing Erik to thin his lips. Emma smiled. “What are you proposing we do then, Erik?”  
  
\---  
  
They had been driving for nearly an hour. Charles was stretched out on the middle seat while Hank and Erik crouched on the floor beside him, steadying his body as Sean drove the van along the weaving New York roads. Raven hovered on the seat behind her brother, glancing out the window occasionally to make sure Darwin and Alex still followed in Erik’s car.  
  
Erik and Hank filled the silence by explaining the evening to Moira, with whom Charles had somehow skirted around the truth. She took the whole thing with much more grace than any other of the others. It was hard to argue when she had witnessed a Were war.   
  
She listened to it all with the same careful look in her eye, her features carefully schooled throughout the story. The only time they betrayed emotion was when she learned the truth of Pietro’s death. Moira shook her head at that, a pained expression on her face. “A damn shame.”   
  
“It is,” Hank nodded, “but maybe it won’t be too hard to explain away now with Charles’ injury.”   
  
“We’ll worry about that later,” Moira waved her hand sharply through the air. “For now should we be worried… about those people we left there?”  
  
“Emma swore her allegiance to our pack,” Erik answered simply, his eyes still trained on Charles. “She won’t do anything back-handed. I killed her mate; she knows I could easily take over the Hellfire pack if I wanted to.”  
  
“Pack…” Moira repeated, nodding to herself as she murmured, “right…”  
  
“She’ll let the other packs know what conspired today, so they will not bother us.”  
  
“And in exchange, you make her pack master and become Hellfire’s eyes and ears up north?” Raven questioned. “Can we trust the bitch?”  
  
“Our kind has only been able to survive for so long because of relationships between packs. I gave Emma something she’s wanted for a very long time,” Erik explained, “and I am one of the only people who can take it away from her if I choose. Emma can be brutal, but she’s not stupid.”  
  
The two women still looked uncertain, but Erik ignored their concern. If Emma betrayed them they would need a backup plan, but there was time to think of that later. The ground below them became bumpier as they hit gravel, indicating that they were closing in on the Reserve. Erik cupped Charles’ hand as the movement jarred him. Hank hovered closer, making sure the leg remained still as he looked at Raven. “Your doctor will be there, right?”  
  
“He said he would hurry. If he’s not already there when we arrive, we won’t have to wait long,” Raven answered.  
  
“Is that his car up there?” Moira asked from the passenger’s seat.  
  
All the occupants in the car shifted to look out the front window at the beat up red truck that was parked askant in the front yard. The letters CPAWS marked the side of the truck along with two painted claw marks.  
  
Raven puckered her lips and shook her head. “That is definitely not his car.”  
  
“Then whose is it?” Sean asked squinting at the truck. “Cool paint job, whoever it belongs to.”  
  
“Sean…” Moira said in an exasperated sigh. “I think you’re missing the point. The last thing we need is more trouble.”  
  
Erik scowled as the car came to a slow stop beside the truck. “There’s no sign of anyone outside,” he said, reaching for the door handle. “I’ll check it out.”  
  
“I’ll come with you,” Moira said opening her door as well. “If it’s someone to see the wolves, I’ll be the best one to deal with them.”  
  
He couldn’t argue with that. As they climbed out, Erik’s first thought was to check for any nearby scents. The truck would give him the best whiff. Moira was making a beeline for the wolf kennels. They were eerily quiet, and she seemed eager to check on them. As the brunette disappeared around the building, Erik got his first inhale of the visitor.  
  
He stiffened immediately as the smell of foreign dirt and smoke filled his nostrils. Along with the unmistakable smell of a Were.   
  
Fuck.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To apologize for the wait allow me to give you a hint for the next chapter to make up for everything.  
> CPAWS: Canadian Parks and Wildlife Society.


	16. Chapter 16

Something soft brushed against his cheek, eliciting a guttural groan from Charles as he shifted closer. His lower body felt unnaturally heavy and a dull ache throbbed through every limb, but he found comfort in the new soft pillow beside him. He shifted closer and heard a low whine close to his ear.  
  
He tried to crack his eye open but gunk sealed it closed, and when it did open the world around him was nothing but a blur, almost as if he were underwater. A wet nose touched his ear, and Charles looked over at the large fuzzy white thing lying next to him in bed.  
  
Slowly everything was starting to come together, but he didn’t need his sight to know what - or who - slept beside him. “Hello, Raven,” he smiled, but as soon as the words came out he immediately regretted it. The voice he heard wasn’t his voice; it was gravelly and filled with cracks.  
  
Raven lifted her large head and blinked at Charles before shifting her gaze somewhere behind him. The room threatened to spin as he turned his head, tilting it uncertainly in the same direction and then settling on a chair. His armchair that always sat in the corner of his bedroom. He was home. The man sitting in the chair gave a tired smile, and Charles’ heart felt as if it had finally been set free from a vise grip.  
  
“You’re finally awake,” Erik said, standing up so Charles could see the stiffness in his body. The taller man nodded at Raven. “She wouldn’t move once we got you in bed.”  
  
Raven snorted and laid her head back down against the plush covers. Charles laughed as he reached over and tickled the sensitive skin behind his sister’s ear. “What happened?”  
  
“You mean during or after the Were meeting you crashed?”  Steel-colored eyes narrowed on Charles, letting him know that the two of them would definitely discuss his reckless planning once they were alone. He shifted uncomfortably under the glare, causing pain to shoot up his leg.  As a startled cry escaped Charles’ lips, Raven’s head popped up like a rabbit out of a hole. Erik growled a loud warning, “Don’t move, you idiot, you’re hurt.”  
  
Okay, Erik was in a bad mood. Which made sense, after what Charles had just done. Raven dropped her head on his chest, whether to reassure him or to keep him still, he couldn’t tell. Erik dropped down by the edge of the bed as his hand reached out to cup Charles’. The gesture was surprisingly soft while anger was still definitely buzzing underneath the Were’s skin.  
  
“You’ve been out for about two days. The doctor came and looked at your leg.”  
  
Charles licked his lips. “Oh…” he said, his free hand moving tentatively to touch the leg, remembering the pain that had seared his nerves. He didn’t want to look yet and see the damage.  
  
Erik kept talking. “He did a good job of stitching you up. In the meantime you can’t walk on it. You’ll need to use a wheelchair, but not forever. Just until it heals. Even then, though, it will probably always ache.”  
  
Another quiet “Oh…” came from Charles as he looked down at the top of his comforter. Erik waited quietly for him to say something more and Raven squirmed again on her side of the bed. He took a deep breath and nodded. “That’s good news, then. If it’s not serious.”  
  
“It could have been a lot worse,” Erik assured him, but Charles didn’t need the reminder and shrugged it off with false ease.  
  
“I guess I’ll have to put all my trust in the boys to help with the wolves,” he prattled on.  
  
Erik snorted, “You won’t have to worry much there.”  
  
“Oh?” The word came out as a curious huff of air this time as he tilted his head and stared at his lover, once again picking up an air of irritation from the other man. “And why is that?”  
  
“Because your good friend Logan Howlett is here, supplying his help.” Erik practically spat the last part out, and the mystery of Erik’s irritation suddenly became an open book - one with small words and big pictures that even a toddler should be able to understand.  
  
“Ah…,” he searched for his next words carefully, “...so you’ve met Logan.” From what he knew about Weres (and specifically Erik), they were very territorial, much like their wolf brethren. Having a stranger on the pack’s land so soon after their last big skirmish must be the cause of such a foul mood.  
  
Erik’s scowl deepened. “He’s a Were, Charles.”  
  
He blinked, uncertain if he’d heard the statement correctly or not, but the disgruntled look on Erik’s face seemed to reassure him that he hadn’t. “A… Were? Erik, Logan can’t be a Werewolf.”  
  
“And why can’t he?” a voice came from the doorway, one with an unmistakable gruffness that would cause any normal person to freeze. Charles had known the owner of that voice for years, and found a strange comfort in the way Logan always clung to his hard disposition.  
  
He looked up and there was the man, looking the same as ever, dressed in a warm-looking long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and boots which were covered from toe to heel in mud. Charles offered Logan a warm smile, hoping to distract the man from the clear glare Erik was giving him. “Logan… What a surprise.”  
  
“You’ve looked better, Chuck,” nodded Logan. The man looked like he had been born and raised in the mountains. Charles wasn’t really sure if that was truth or not; the man never really talked about himself. If he had family, where he was from - all of it was a mystery. Which all made eerie sense. When he opened his mouth to give an explanation, Logan shook his head, “No need to explain - I heard.”  
  
Erik looked like a bristling cat as soon as Logan stepped into the space. Suddenly the room felt a little bit crowded. “I thought we agreed that Charles wouldn’t be taking visitors so soon.”  
  
Logan shrugged with nonchalance, not at all intimidated by the tone in Erik’s voice that would have sent anyone else running in the opposite direction. “I didn’t agree to anything like that. I have some business to discuss with Charles.”  
  
“Well, I would like to talk to my mate as well,” Erik said slowly and gave even Raven a pointed look as he added, “Alone.”  
  
The wolf huffed audibly for a moment before her body rippled and stretched. The mattress adjusted under the new weight and Raven had the good sense of mind to grab a pillow before Charles could see her. “I get it! I get it!” she announced loudly, mimicking Erik’s look as she pushed off the bed. “There’s way too much testosterone in this room anyway.”  
  
Raven’s fingers danced across her brother’s shoulder in a quietly intimate way that brought a smile to his face. “Call if you need me to kick these two lugs out for you.”  
  
“You think you can take them?” Charles asked with a soft laugh.  
  
“You don’t?” Raven wiggled her eyes with a sly smile, one that almost made him forget the damage she could cause. Something he had witnessed with his own eyes.  
  
She pulled back and exited the room without another word. Logan stood defiantly in his place, arms crossed over his chest and daring anyone to move him. He spoke up first before Erik could get in another growl. “Never knew your sister was a Were, Chuck.”  
  
“I never knew you were either,” Charles returned with an inviting tilt of his head.  
  
Logan stepped more into the room. “There’s a good reason for that,” he answered. “You know the rules. I’m not allowed to talk about it.”  
  
“But I told you about my thesis. You knew I was fascinated by them, and you didn’t say anything.”  
  
“Yeah, because it would have gotten you into a whole heap of trouble. Something I see you’ve found, despite that.” Logan’s eyes moved to Charles’ leg. “I only heard through the grapevine a couple weeks ago that a bunch of Weres were unhappy enough to act.”  
  
Charles licked his lips, recalling his last contact with the man. “You wanted me to come up with Cyclops.”  
  
Erik sat up straighter, listening intently as Logan nodded. “I was trying to get you away for a little while. Figured the whole thing would blow over, and if it didn’t, then there aren’t a lot of wolves who’d try something while I’m around.  
  
“When you refused I figured a surprise visit was in order. No one was here when I arrived. A couple hours later, this guy shows up reeking of you and blood. He’s lucky I didn’t tear his heart out on the spot.”  
  
Erik moved to snap back, but Charles was quicker, his words much kinder than those his lover probably would offer. “I’m sure by now everyone’s caught you up to speed.”  
  
The smug look on Logan’s face faded away. “Yeah,” he said, a quietness in his voice that the biologist had never heard before. “It was a surprise when I found out your sister was one of us. It explains a lot about all the yammering you used to do, but then to find out that you got mixed up with Shaw and his crew, and that you had this creep shacking up with you.”  
  
“Logan,” Charles asserted quickly, his own eyes narrowing on the man. “Erik is my mate now. If you have a problem with him, then you have a problem with me.” With Weres, like wolves, it was important to show dominance. There was no leeway for the meek. He didn’t miss the look Erik gave him. It was quick, but the true emotion there made his heart ache. Gratitude.  
  
Logan went quiet; he seemed to be considering his options. Slowly the beginning of a smile crept across his face. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Chuck.”  
  
Charles wasn’t sure if he was talking about standing up for himself, or being with Erik. He carded his fingers through his hair, feeling very tired. “So why are you here, Logan?”  
  
“To clean up the rest of this mess,” Logan answered gruffly.  
  
“It’s already been handled,” Erik snapped. “Emma has sworn the protection of the Hellfire Pack.”  
  
“You still have an entire gaggle of humans who know about us.” Logan countered. “And the western packs who aren’t intimidated by the queen bitch. You’re going to need a little more than one pack backing you up here.”  
  
Charles wasn’t sure if it was his fatigue or if he had missed something as his brows cinched in confusion. “Are you offering your pack’s support?”  
  
Logan’s low chuckle rolled over the room in answer. “I don’t have a pack, bub. I’m a lone wolf.”  
  
Like Victor, the exhausted part of Charles reminded him as Logan carried on. “I do know a couple strong packs in the north though who tend to care about what I say. I just need to make sure these humans won’t say a word to anyone.”  
  
“They won’t,” Charles said without hesitation. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind. His staff weren’t just strangers in the office. They were family. “I’m pretty sure if Moira didn’t work for me here, she’d be doing something for the FBI.”  
  
That got a snort out of Logan, who nodded in understanding. “If you’re sure. I’ll just stay around for a bit to make sure they’re clean, and then I’ll be on my way.”  
  
“Okay,” Charles agreed at the same time Erik let out a pouty, “Fine.”  
  
The other Were’s irritated response didn’t provoke an ounce of reaction out of Logan. “Okay then, rest up. I would like to see you wandering around before I leave.”  
  
“Believe me,” Charles sighed, and maybe it was his imagination but it came out much deeper and exhausted then he intended, “I want nothing more than to meet you outside.”  
  
Erik was already standing as Logan turned and strolled out of the room. The pillows propped behind Charles suddenly felt softer and seemed to hug his body as the room fell quiet. The door closed with a louder-than-normal click, and the bed dipped at the presence of a new body.  
  
“Charles…” Erik’s voice said beside him. His voice was soft for the first time all evening, when they were finally alone. A pity, since his growing sleepiness was making it difficult to pay attention.  
  
“Well, that was interesting,” he hummed sleepily, exhaustion making his mind sluggish. His body was ready to drift into the fog, but now that he and Erik were alone there were things that needed to be addressed. “Erik, I’m sorry.”  
  
His head rolled to look at the Were as Erik shushed him. His lover’s hand cupped his cheek. “We’ll talk later.”  
  
“I’m sorry I made you worry,” Charles continued, staring earnestly into steely-grey eyes before his own closed and he took a deep breath. They didn’t open when Charles wanted them to next, and he found that he didn’t really care.  
  
The hand on his check stroked the skin softly, almost hesitantly, as Erik remained quiet for a long moment. Charles was sure he wouldn’t say anything to him before he fell asleep, and he couldn’t blame him.  
  
Finally there was the soft touch of lips against his cheek, and Charles felt his entire body sigh in response.  
  
“Go to sleep, Charles.”  
  
\---  
  
The first words out of Charles’ mouth the next time he woke up was, “You smell funny.”  
  
To which Erik let out an indignant huff even as his lips pulled back into a relieved smile. “Excuse me?” he asked, watching as his mate’s blue eyes blinked into awareness. Charles’ small body squirmed under the plush covers, testing his limbs until the wounded leg ached expectantly. Erik managed to keep quiet and let Charles realize his own limits.  
  
A soft laugh escaped Charles even as his face twisted in pain. “That’s what Raven said to me, after I came back from our first meeting. I was… dreaming about it.” He licked his lips, eyes glazed over with the memory. Erik couldn’t help but think back on that time as well, their meeting over coffee or the first time he stepped foot onto the Westchester land. From the moment he’d met Charles, there had been a force between them that was hard to describe  
  
“She sensed you even a couple hours after our meeting. I was thinking about how Logan never knew about her, even after years of us working together. Though I guess a couple hours’ drive is completely different from a couple days of traveling.”  
  
“Our noses are good Charles, but not that good,” Erik nodded, face drawn close in a thoughtful way as he considered the explanation.  
  
The Englishman’s body shook in a soft chuckle. Erik’s ears perked up as he propped his head on one boney pale shoulder. “What’s so funny?”  
  
“I enjoy this,” Charles admitted through his giggles. “It feels like forever since you and I discussed these things.”  
  
“Were things you mean?” Erik said slowly, unsure.  
  
Charles’ blue eyes flickered to his with a flash of confusion. “Lots of things, Erik,” he said, “anything besides your pack. But yes, I do enjoy when you talk about your Were side. It’s a part of you, a part I find fascinating, and love.”  
  
A soft part of Erik purred at the sincerity in Charles’ voice. The man really did make it difficult to be mad at him, which is what he was supposed to be. Erik couldn’t forget that Charles had purposefully put himself in danger, and revealed all of them to even more humans. For a man who was supposedly a genius, he didn’t know squat about what the words low profile meant.  
  
At his silence Charles inhaled deeply, “Ah, you’re angry.”  
  
Erik breathed in through his nose, a long, slow breath that allowed him to gather his thoughts and emotions. “Charles,” he started, “you’re one of the most brilliant, arrogant, pig-headed people I know. And I’m sure that one day it will get you killed if I’m not there.”  
  
Charles laughed, actually laughed at the statement, his body curling around Erik’s as much as his injured leg would allow. The low sound of Erik’s irritation didn’t deter the smile on the biologist’s face. “Yes, but that’s hardly anything new,” he answered, daring to sound chipper. “Before you came along I did work with wild animals for years, and still managed to keep all my limbs.”  
  
“So you’re just getting more reckless,” sighed Erik. “This will have to stop.”  
  
“It won’t,” Charles said without hesitation and with utter sureness. “But I can promise you that I’ll try to be more cautious of my surroundings.”  
  
The urge to roll his eyes nagged at the back of Erik’s mind, but he managed to fight it down. More cautious, indeed, for Charles had still gotten a gun pulled on him and landed him in the middle of a blood bath. He couldn’t, however, stop himself from saying, “You’re dealing with more than just wild animals now.”  
  
The smaller man wordlessly cuddled closer. “I am well aware of that, Erik,” he said, “and yet, I still wouldn’t change a thing.”  
  
\---  
  
Of course, Charles could only stand to be in the bed for two days before he insisted on being outside. Raven and Moira had rolled their eyes, but everyone knew it would be no use fighting the unruly professor. Getting him outside had required a wheelchair, though. As promised, Charles wasn’t allowed to put any strain on his leg. The chair he was given was the most bulky thing that had ever been created. It also had a prop for the leg that extended the limb out in front of him, making it even harder to maneuver outside. At one point Erik, Darwin, and Logan were forced to lug the chair together down to the first story while Charles muttered apologies but looked completely unapologetic.  
  
Since he had last been outside, the temperature had taken a turn from fall to winter. Everyone was bundled in their coats, and even from the cement patio Charles could see the thick fur coats of his wolves. Charles opted for his thick, dark blue peacoat and his nice gloves, since he wouldn’t have to fear getting them dirty while doing chores. Instead he stayed stationed by the outside table with Moira, Erik, and Raven as they watched the younger men get to work lugging the food and water hoses across the yard.  
  
They hadn’t been out long before a bitter gust of wind cut through the air, making all the humans huddle into their jackets and shiver while the Weres perked up. Raven made a interested sound and Erik hummed quietly. Charles could easily guess that they had picked up the scent of some poor unfortunate animal who happened to venture too close to the grounds. Even Logan was standing stock still, as if he was trying to pick out exactly where the scent had come from. The wolves started barking a second later.  
  
Charles tilted his head in his lover’s direction, reading the tension that had appeared in the man’s muscles. “Oh, go on,” he said, placing his mug on the table, “I know you want to.”  
  
Erik hesitated, his eyes flickering to Moira with their old sternness. Raven rolled her eyes, sweeping her blond hair over one shoulder. “Please, Erik, it’s nothing she hasn’t seen before.”    
  
On the grass, Logan had broken out of his intense concentration and had turned to the two other Weres expectantly. Erik’s attention fell back to Charles, where the tension vanished slowly. He reached up and unwrapped the colorful scarf Charles had provided for him and tucked it around his mate’s neck. “If you insist. We won’t be long,” he said, tucking the fabric snugly into the peacoat.  
  
Charles sighed happily. “Take your time.”  
  
“If you get cold, come inside. Don’t be stubborn, Darwin and Alex will help.”  
  
“Yes, yes.” Charles looked completely uninterested in the Were’s pampering as he waved the German off. “Go off and have a bit of fun, why don’t you? I promise I won’t find any trouble.”  
  
The three people around him shared similar smiles. Erik and Raven were already peeling off their winter layers, the cold not seeming to bother them at all while Moira turned back to the boys and their chores. Where Logan had been standing, there was now a large grizzly wolf. Larger than Erik’s form, his fur was longer and formed a thicker coat than Charles had ever seen, with paws a great deal bigger than his build.  
  
Clothes rustled as Erik and Raven stripped to join him. Charles would never get tired of seeing them transform. It was nothing like how the movies made it seem - it was quick and the two looked completely at ease throughout the change. Moira watched with noticeable surprise, her intelligent brown eyes darting from Raven to Erik.  
  
Erik’s large wolf form was standing beside him a second later, snorting quickly and stretching his limbs with a content look. Raven licked Charles’ hand. When her brother gave her an amused smile her ears perked happily and she darted down the stairs to join Logan’s large form.  
  
The pleasurable weight of Erik’s head rested on Charles’ good leg. The professor rubbed the top of his head, the thick brown fur tingling his finger tips as he found a spot that had always made Raven purr in approval. In front of Moira, Erik didn’t show much emotion, but his steel-hued eyes stayed fixed on his human mate as he tried to convey a message. Charles nodded at him, “I know, love, see you in a bit.”  
  
Erik’s head lifted as if he had said the magic words and he trotted past Moira down to where the other two wolves were waiting. As he approached, Raven jumped in excitement and took off towards the woods, Logan and Erik picking up speed to chase after her. Their forms disappeared into the thick brush in minutes. Even Alex, Sean, and Darwin had paused in their work to watch them disappear.  
  
A howl echoed from the woodlands not long after, but it was impossible to tell who it was from. The shiver that tap-danced down Charles spine gave him an educated guess.  
  
Moira leaned back into her chair, picking up her tea mug again. “So,” she started, and when Charles tore his eyes away from the treeline he could see a pretty smile was fixed on her face. “Werewolves, huh?”  
  
“They’re real, as you’ve already witnessed,” Charles said. “Sorry I had to lie to you before.”  
  
Moira made a face, as if she had a bad taste in her mouth from Charles’ apology. Her voice sounded like that of an exasperated mother as she said, “Oh, stop it, Charles. Erik and Raven explained most of it.”  
  
“Oh…” Charles gave an apologetic smile.  
  
Moira’s face softened into a fond smile. “There is no need to apologize. I know it was a big secret. They’ve said we’re safe from those people at the hotel, but otherwise everyone has remained pretty tight-lipped. Erik still doesn’t trust me very much.”  
  
“Being open isn’t really Erik’s strong suit,” Charles cut in quickly.  
  
“You don’t have to tell me that,” Moira said, her smiling twitching upwards. “There’s a lot he didn’t say, but I’m not a complete moron. I have eyes and a heart.”  
  
Charles waited for her to continue. Moira was clever, and like him she was adept at picking up on clues for the information she wanted. She had been with him when he first started his career, and they had supported and helped each other through their research.  
  
When Moira fell quiet he reached across the table and placed his gloved covered hand over her own cool one. Her skin was already reddening from the cold. Charles could feel the chill through his fabric. “Moira, we’ve been through a lot together. If you want to know about their kind, I’m sure Erik wouldn’t mind me telling you a few things. We’re protected by their packs, after all, and-“  
  
Amusement flickered across the woman’s face as she scoffed, “Charles, stop for a moment. I’m not prying about your Werewolf research.”  
  
Charles’ words stumbled to a halt, a flush creeping up his neck under the scarf. “No, of course you weren’t.”  
  
“I would like to hear how my friend and colleague got himself wrapped up in such a mess. Think we have time for that?”  
  
Another howl erupted from the woods, this one a surprising distance from the house. Charles felt his heart flutter in his chest at the sound. He couldn’t help but wear a open smile, knowing that from now on things wouldn’t have to be so secret. That Erik and Raven could be themselves in their home. Things felt like they were making sense for the first time in his life.  
  
Setting his mug down he answered, “I guess it all really started that first day when Erik arrived here...”     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the ending was okay. I know some people may feel it wrapped up quickly, or there are still questions and that's very true. When I started I had a sequel in mind, so maybe that will happen. I planned for Logan to have more of a part in the sequel. ;) 
> 
> THANK YOU EVERYONE for the kind reviews, comments, and even for just lurking on this story. It's been a blast!


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